#London Oratory

[mote-historie]

1933 Norman Hartnell, Wedding dress. Worn by Margaret Whigham later Margaret Campbell, Duchess of Argyll or Margaret, Duchess of Argyll. Embroidered with stars and with and extra wide train for the Brompton Oratory where she was married.

While 1000 guests had been invited to Margaret’s wedding, the day was gate crashed by 2000 more. A report in the Daily Mirror on 22 February 1933 described it as ‘hooliganism, probably unparalleled in any church’. Women stood on pews to gain a better view of the bride, and shamelessly snapped up some of the floral decorations to keep as souvenirs. Again, in the words of the Daily Mirror, these women then ‘pushed their way out triumphantly, clasping pink azaleas and tulips’.

Victoria and Albert Museum Collection, London

[liliesofeden]

Postcard I found showing the High Altar at Brompton Oratory, also known as the London Oratory, a late Victorian Roman Catholic Perish Church.

[allaboutmary]

The Lady altar of the London oratory decorated for the feast of the Assumption.

[werewolfetone]

"this is like the twentieth (?) century equivalent of that story abt henry grattan and the corpses"

what on earth is the story about Grattan and the corpses

Sadly I don't have the book that I read it in on hand rn so I can't quote it verbatim but basically in the eighteenth century all Irish people wanting to go into law had to go to London for a time to gain some understanding of English law as part of their training, and there's a (possibly apocryphal?) story about how when famous Irish orator Henry Grattan was in London for this training he started going to watch debates in the British House of Commons a lot (⬅️ this part is definitely true) out of boredom and became so obsessed with wanting to be a politician rather than a lawyer that he started wandering around talking under his breath to "Mr Speaker" + pretending to address the house on then-current issues, which escalated to the point where someone eventually caught him giving a passionate speech about the subject of debate for that day to a group of corpses hanging from a gallows somewhere in London while pretending they were MPs. Certain later nineteenth century writers (Stephen Gwynne, WT Latimer, etc) latched on to the story as early proof of Grattan's natural success at oratory, which is why I said it's kind of like the much weirder 1700s version of seeing young Pearse with a gun and going "omg he was always described to be a rebel"

[home-phoenix]

The Oratory on a freezing December day. Kensington. London.

[cruger2984]

THE DESCRIPTION OF SAINT JOHN HENRY NEWMAN The Patron of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham in England and Wales Feast Day: October 9

John Henry Newman, the 19th-century's most important English-speaking Catholic theologian, spent the first half of his life as an Anglican and the second half as a Roman Catholic. He was a priest, popular preacher, writer, and eminent theologian in both churches.

Born in London, England, he studied at Oxford's Trinity College, was a tutor at Oriel College, and for 17 years was vicar of the university church, St. Mary the Virgin. He eventually published eight volumes of Parochial and Plain Sermons as well as two novels. His poem, 'Dream of Gerontius,' was set to music by Sir Edward Elgar.

After 1833, Newman was a prominent member of the Oxford Movement, which emphasized the Church’s debt to the Church Fathers and challenged any tendency to consider truth as completely subjective.

Historical research made Newman suspect that the Roman Catholic Church was in closest continuity with the Church that Jesus established. In 1845, he was received into full communion as a Catholic. Two years later he was ordained a Catholic priest in Rome and joined the Congregation of the Oratory, founded three centuries earlier by Saint Philip Neri. Returning to England, Newman founded Oratory houses in Birmingham and London and for seven years served as rector of the Catholic University of Ireland.

Before Newman, Catholic theology tended to ignore history, preferring instead to draw deductions from first principles—much as plane geometry does. After Newman, the lived experience of believers was recognized as a key part of theological reflection.

Newman eventually wrote 40 books and 21,000 letters that survive. Most famous are his book-length Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine, On Consulting the Faithful in Matters of Doctrine, Apologia Pro Vita Sua—his spiritual autobiography up to 1864—and Essay on the Grammar of Assent. He accepted Vatican I's teaching on papal infallibility while noting its limits, which many people who favored that definition were reluctant to do.

When Newman was named a cardinal in 1879, he took as his motto 'Cor ad cor loquitur'—'Heart speaks to heart.'

He was buried in Rednal 11 years later. After his grave was exhumed in 2008, a new tomb was prepared at the Oratory church in Birmingham.

Three years after Newman died, a Newman Club for Catholic students began at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. In time, his name was linked to ministry centers at many public and private colleges and universities in the United States.

In 2010, Pope Benedict XVI beatified Newman in London. Benedict noted Newman's emphasis on the vital place of revealed religion in civilized society, but also praised his pastoral zeal for the sick, the poor, the bereaved, and those in prison. Pope Francis canonized Newman in October 2019.

Source: Franciscan Media

[thoughtportal]

The True Origins of the Phrase ‘Bleeding-Heart Liberal’

Westbrook Pegler was extremely good at calling people names. Particularly politicians. In his syndicated newspaper column, he called Franklin D. Roosevelt “Moosejaw” and “momma’s boy.” Truman was “a thin-lipped hater.”

Pegler was a bit of hater himself. He didn’t like the labor movement, Communists, fascists, Jews, and perhaps most of all, liberals. In one 1938 column, he coined a term for liberals that would eventually come to define conservative scorn for the left. Pegler was the first writer to refer to liberals as “bleeding hearts.” The context for this then-novel insult? A bill before Congress that aimed to curb lynching.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/origin-bleeding-heart-liberal

Before the 20th century, the phrase “bleeding heart” was popular in the religious-tinged oratory of 19th century America. Throughout the 1860s, it comes up often in poetry, essays, and political speeches, as an expression of empathy and emotion. “I come to you with a bleeding heart, honest and sincere motives, desiring to give you some plain thoughts,” said one politician in an 1862 speech. The phrase comes from the religious image of Christ’s wounded heart, which symbolizes his compassion and love. It was a common enough phrase that London has a “Bleeding Heart Yard” (featured prominently in the Dickens novel Little Dorrit) which is named after a long-gone sign, once displayed at a local pub, that showed the Sacred Heart.

By the 1930s, though, the phrase had fallen out of common use and Pegler, who one politician called a “soul-sick, mud-wallowing gutter scum columnist,” recruited it into a new context, as a political insult. He was a master of this art. As a contemporary of his wrote in an academic article on political name-calling, “Pegler has coined, or given prominence to, a fair share of unfair words.” (Pegler also called the AFL a “swollen national racket,” economics “a side-show science,” and Harold Ickes, who ran the Public Works Administration, “Donald Duck.”)

Pegler first used “bleeding heart” in a column castigating liberals in Washington for their focus on “a bill to provide penalties for lynchings.” Pegler wasn’t for lynchings, per se, but he argued that they were no longer a problem the federal government should solve: there had only been eight lynchings in 1937, he wrote, and “it is obvious that the evil is being cured by local processes.” The bill, he thought, was being “used as a political bait in crowded northern Negro centers.” And here was his conclusion, emphasis ours:

“I question the humanitarianism of any professional or semi-pro bleeding heart who clamors that not a single person must be allowed to hunger but would stall the entire legislative program in a fight to ham through a law intended, at the most optimistic figure, to save fourteen lives a year.”

Pegler was apparently pleased enough with this use of “bleeding heart” that he kept it up. He later wrote of “professional bleeding hearts” who advocated for “collective medicine” after a woman couldn’t find a doctor to help her through labor, and lobbed the insult of “bleeding heart Bourn” at a rival, left-leaning columnist. By 1940, he had condensed the phrase down to “bleeding-heart humanitarians” and “bleeding-heart liberals.”

Pegler’s usage did not immediately catch on, though. (Perhaps that’s because he went on to become so right-wing that he was asked to leave the John Birch Society.) If the New York Times’ archives is any indication, through the ‘40s and ‘50s, “bleeding heart” was most often used to refer to the flower Lamprocapnos spectabilis, which grows rows of pretty pink blossoms, and occasionally sports.

Westbrook Pegler was extremely good at calling people names. Particularly politicians. In his syndicated newspaper column, he called Franklin D. Roosevelt “Moosejaw” and “momma’s boy.” Truman was “a thin-lipped hater.”

Pegler was a bit of hater himself. He didn’t like the labor movement, Communists, fascists, Jews, and perhaps most of all, liberals. In one 1938 column, he coined a term for liberals that would eventually come to define conservative scorn for the left. Pegler was the first writer to refer to liberals as “bleeding hearts.” The context for this then-novel insult? A bill before Congress that aimed to curb lynching.

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Before the 20th century, the phrase “bleeding heart” was popular in the religious-tinged oratory of 19th century America. Throughout the 1860s, it comes up often in poetry, essays, and political speeches, as an expression of empathy and emotion. “I come to you with a bleeding heart, honest and sincere motives, desiring to give you some plain thoughts,” said one politician in an 1862 speech. The phrase comes from the religious image of Christ’s wounded heart, which symbolizes his compassion and love. It was a common enough phrase that London has a “Bleeding Heart Yard” (featured prominently in the Dickens novel Little Dorrit) which is named after a long-gone sign, once displayed at a local pub, that showed the Sacred Heart.

By the 1930s, though, the phrase had fallen out of common use and Pegler, who one politician called a “soul-sick, mud-wallowing gutter scum columnist,” recruited it into a new context, as a political insult. He was a master of this art. As a contemporary of his wrote in an academic article on political name-calling, “Pegler has coined, or given prominence to, a fair share of unfair words.” (Pegler also called the AFL a “swollen national racket,” economics “a side-show science,” and Harold Ickes, who ran the Public Works Administration, “Donald Duck.”)

Pegler first used “bleeding heart” in a column castigating liberals in Washington for their focus on “a bill to provide penalties for lynchings.” Pegler wasn’t for lynchings, per se, but he argued that they were no longer a problem the federal government should solve: there had only been eight lynchings in 1937, he wrote, and “it is obvious that the evil is being cured by local processes.” The bill, he thought, was being “used as a political bait in crowded northern Negro centers.” And here was his conclusion, emphasis ours:

“I question the humanitarianism of any professional or semi-pro bleeding heart who clamors that not a single person must be allowed to hunger but would stall the entire legislative program in a fight to ham through a law intended, at the most optimistic figure, to save fourteen lives a year.”

Pegler was apparently pleased enough with this use of “bleeding heart” that he kept it up. He later wrote of “professional bleeding hearts” who advocated for “collective medicine” after a woman couldn’t find a doctor to help her through labor, and lobbed the insult of “bleeding heart Bourn” at a rival, left-leaning columnist. By 1940, he had condensed the phrase down to “bleeding-heart humanitarians” and “bleeding-heart liberals.”

Pegler’s usage did not immediately catch on, though. (Perhaps that’s because he went on to become so right-wing that he was asked to leave the John Birch Society.) If the New York Times’ archives is any indication, through the ‘40s and ‘50s, “bleeding heart” was most often used to refer to the flower Lamprocapnos spectabilis, which grows rows of pretty pink blossoms, and occasionally sports.

“Bleeding heart” was revived in a political context in 1954, by another infamous right-winger, Joe McCarthy, who called Edward R. Murrow one of the “extreme Left Wing bleeding-heart elements of television and radio.” It wasn’t until the 1960s that it really started to come into common use, though. In 1963, the satirical columnist Russell Baker put it on a list of political insults: “If one is called a ‘phoney,’ about the only thing he can do is come back with some epithet like, ‘anti-intellectual’ or ‘bleeding-heart liberal’…or ‘you must be one of those peace nuts.’” By the end of the decade, Ronald Reagan, then newly elected governor of California, had picked it up as a way to describe his political trajectory. “I was quite the bleeding-heart liberal once,” he told Newsweek. By 1970, he was known as a “former ‘bleeding heart’ Democrat.”

After that, the phrase was fully ensconced in political short-hand and quickly claimed by liberals as a positive trait.  “You are called a bleeding heart liberal because you have a heart for the poor,” one told the Times. “Count me with the bleeding heart liberals,” an NAACP lawyer wrote in a letter to the editor.

[lycanlovingvampyre]

MAG 138 Relisten

Activity on my first listen: putting up a new fence.

MARTIN: "You know I don’t care if Jon hears this." ELIAS: "Come on, Martin. It’s been so long since I’ve seen you. Let’s not start with lies." [MARTIN TAKES A STEADYING BREATH.] MARTIN: (sigh) "Fine." Martin doesn't deny it?

ELIAS: "For all his… many faults, Peter is legitimately trying to stop the end of the world as we know it." MARTIN: "So why haven’t you helped him?" ELIAS: "My relationship to the apocalypse is more… complicated." Okay, Elias saying this?! In the episode of Smirke's statement, where the sky blinks at him? I just realized how many of those conversations fit the tone of the respective episode (without the obvious, like MAG 125, 128, 131, 133, 134 etc). Of course MAG 122, Jon waking up from the dead with the Zombie statement. MAG 124 Left hanging and Martin left Jon hanging. MAG 127 A letter to Jonah with Jon's door motif talk and Basira visiting Elias. MAG 129 opening with Jon and Martin before THE anchor statement. I don't know, MAG 130 maybe? It was about a ritual and the Web suggested this tape to Jon for further preparation of the Eye's mass ritual. MAG 135 talking Basira into a potential Dark ritual after the statement about the creation of that ritual. And then that mean red herring in MAG 136, Web statement with Melanie's therapy (Jon later worries, that Melanie's therapist could be Web). Also like the way Elias talks about Peter, they really sound like a divorced couple xD

MARTIN: "Yeah, well. I’m still not sure I really believe it. (long exhale) A,And I don’t… I – I’m –" ELIAS: "Worried he might charge off into another coffin." [HE MAKES A SMUG LITTLE SOUND.] ELIAS: "Quite." I love how Elias ships Jon and Martin.

ELIAS: "As for why I’ve done so little about such a looming existential threat, (sigh) to be blunt, I have been rather busy." Martin laughs at him, but it's true. He's still pulling strings from the inside of his prison cell and he's going to be very successful with it.

MARTIN: "What? (small dry laugh) That’s it? No, no monologue, no mind games? You love manipulating people!" ELIAS: "That makes two of us." Iconic lines. Web!Martin! Btw no wonder the Web supports Jonah in his scheme, he's quite talented at manipulation himself.

ELIAS: "I simply have to trust that when the time comes, you’ll – (rattle) – make the right choice." Like not to kill him.

"My dear Jonah," Pffft...

"What we built at Millbank should be left well enough alone, resigned to the nightmares of the reprobates and brigands contained within its walls." This statement is such a tease about what's going to come!

"It is telling, that of those I have brought into my confidence, it is only you and I who have continued this far without falling to one power or another, despite all my instruction and work. This is, of course, assuming you have not taken the path of the Eye that I know has called you, called us both for so long." Was this after the Watcher's Crown? -> “ What we built at Millbank should be left well enough alone, resigned to the nightmares of the reprobates and brigands contained within its walls.” That sentence sounds like it. So that ship has sailed? This probably why they didn't stay in contact? -> “ but I feel I must break the silence that has characterized our acquaintance for these past few decades.”

"I’m sure you recall what happened with the Reform Club" MAG 35!

"but you may be unaware of some of my other experiments below the very streets of London." The tunnels for example?

"Places I have tried to cover with churches, of all things" Was there a church built by Smirke in a statement? I immediately thought about the Oratory from MAG 20, but it's in Oxford, Smirke speaks of London here. Thought about Hither Green (MAG 25) or St Paul’s Church (MAG 63), but nope. He wasn't involved in any of the buildings I just listed. Am I missing something or do we actually never hear about anything connected to a church of his?

"perhaps the site of our Saviour will be enough to contain them." Funny how some people still won't lose their faith even in full knowledge of the Dread Powers. Smirke here. I thiiink, Dekker was also religious, was he?

"I stop, and look up at the sky, that empty black nothing, and I see the edges of the horizon becoming a dull white. I cannot understand what I am looking at. And then the sky blinks." Love that foreshadowing!

"I am not a fool. I know well enough what this dream is likely to mean, and I warn you again, that if you have any remaining ambitions to use our work, to try and wear the Watcher’s Crown, you must abandon them!" I know there's this discussion about what the Watcher's Crown actually was, Jonah's prison soap opera or using the Archivist. And, I think, there was something about Jonny saying the Watcher's Crown was Jonah's prison thing and what we see in MAG 160 could be called, like, the Magnus Archives, ha! But the title "Watcher's Crown" does fit the Eyepocalypse pretty well. Jonah calls himself "king of a ruined world" - king and crown and such. And the Eye ruling over all the other Fears like a... United Kingdom (badum tss!). (Also, Gerry says in MAG 111 "Uh, the Rite of the Watcher’s Crown. It’s what she called the ritual for the Eye. She didn’t tell me much about that one, just that she knew how to take care of it." This sounds like Gertrude called the ritual to come the Watcher's Crown. And she knows how to take care of it, sounds a bit like she already knew that the Archivist is the linchpin to the Eye's ritual. I say "a bit" because in the end there is no confirmation that this was exactly what she knew at this point. Gertrude still believed single Fear rituals could work, or she was at least still trying to stop them just for good measure according to MAG 137, which was in October 2014. And I think we don't know an actual death date of Gerry? Just late 2014...)

"But what is not to be dismissed is when your driver, on the long road from London, takes his eyes from the horses and begins to turn his head, slowly at first, but with a clear determination, inch by inch without ceasing, neck cracking and skin stretching, until his whole head seems as though it were placed atop his shoulders in reverse by some careless sculptor. The others in my carriage seemed not to mark this awful sight, but I could scarce look away" This describes the dream logic the Fears bring with them. How they can bend reality just a bit to their needs. Like Martin being trapped by Prentiss, who spent two weeks in front of his flat knocking at the door without any of his neighbors noticing anything!

MARTIN: "Good luck, Jon; I –" love you. (There, finished it for you, you're welcome <3)

@a-mag-a-day

[hoodoo12]

#9, 17 and 21 for the movie asks, if you please :)

9. A film set in a place you always wanted to visit: Super easy. The Thing (1982). I'd love to go to Antarctica even if there are aliens that want to assimilate me!

17. A film whose main genre is a Western: High Noon (1952). A good flick with Gary Cooper. Takes place in real time, if that excites you too.

21. A film with a great needle drop/soundtrack/score: the Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003). There is a reason that music can make or break a movie. These films are fantastic, but Howard Shore's compositions and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the London Voices, London Oratory School Schola choir elevate them even higher.

I have to give another answer for this question: the soundtrack from Hereditary (2018). Composer and musician Colin Stetson created something that just gets under your skin. This video 4 Happy Notes Create a Terrifying Theme explains the reasons why very well. I didn't list it as the 'real' answer because I think it works better if you watch the movie, not just listen to the soundtrack without visual context.

Thanks for good questions!

[fideidefenswhore]

☕️ thomas cranmer (love your blog btw!!)

cheers!

cranmer was one of nine siblings, he had a sister that lobbied both mary i and reginald pole for his release, despite that her own religious beliefs were quite different to her brother's (it's been assumed that this was alice, his sister that was a nun, whom he later installed as prioress, but DM stated in his biography we cannot be certain of that)

a chaplain to bishop clerk of bath and wells said "he trusted to see the day his lord of canterbury would be burned" (1533)

catherine of aragon referred to him as "a shadow” 1534

the curate to one of catherine's chaplains referred to him as a "hostler" (a hostler was a man that took care of horses at an inn, the rumor of this origin seems to have come from his brief marriage that took place somewhere between 1515-1519, at which point he had to forfeit his fellowship and became the 'common reader at buckingham college', lost his housing at jesus college and lodged his wife joan at the dolphin inn)

hostile londoners hung up bundles of hay at his gates once he was ordained as an archbishop, in relation to the "hostler" rumor

he once said "of all sorts of men, i am daily informed that priests report the worst of me" (1534)

brought “revolutionary liturgical change” by “[asserting] in the text of his 1549 marriage service [....] that marriage could be ‘fun’”

after his first, half-hour interview with henry viii, referred to him in a letter to a friend as “the kindest of princes” (1527)

wolsey was fond enough, or admiring enough, of cranmer as a scholar and theologian to attempt to “tempt him from cambridge to cardinal college, oxford”

he was lodged at thomas boleyn’s residence at durham place by 1530 at the latest

anne boleyn was crowned and anointed by cranmer with the crown of st edward the confessor on whit sunday (1 june, 1533)

issued the marriage license for henry’s final marriage on 10 july, 1543 (”in any church, chapel, or oratory without the issue of banns”)

was godfather to both the future elizabeth i and edward vi

had a “fashionably elegant wardrobe��, including a “chammer (a rich gown that opened at the front) of scarlet faced with crimson satin”, “a gown of russet furred with lamb and faced with martens”, and “a short riding jacket of worsted linen with cotton”

mary i would not pay in full the bailiff’s reimbursment in the case of cranmer in her lifetime, the “faggots, stakes, and labour” that had gone into the burning of cranmer was an outstanding debt of the crown until the protestant bishops of elizabeth’s reign finally paid it in full ("the case is miserable, the debt is just”, wrote the regius professor of divinity to archbishop parker)

[dormernts]

the ton is buzzing ! have you heard ? AUGUSTA DORMER , LADY DORMER has arrived in mayfair ! i’ve been told that she is + ASTUTE & HIGH - SPIRITED but are also - MEDDLESOME & UNSCRUPULOUS but we shall more know about them throughout the season. they aim to HELP HER BROTHER REHABILITATE THE WHITE RABBIT AND SEE BUSINESS BOOM AGAIN before the season ends. we cannot be too sure but it is said that their loyalties THEIR FAMILY & WITH THEMSELVES. how true ? we are yet to find out.

[    basics    ]     ⸻

full name  :  augusta josephine dormer.

meaning  : augusta means magnificent; josephine means god will increase. she was named after a princess of the dynasty, and her father, joseph.

also known as  :  gus, goose ( by her brothers ).

titles (  if applicable )  :  lady dormer of wyng.

gender + pronouns  :  cis woman  +  she/her.

orientation  :  bisexual.

age  :  twenty eight; going twenty nine in two months.

[    background    +    familial    ]     ⸻

date of birth  : may 12th, 1784.

place of birth  :  london, england.

residence : ascott house, near wing, buckinghamshire.

rank  :  gentry.

father  :  joseph dormer ✝ tba.

mother  : amelia dormer, née ? ✝ 1784.

siblings  :  brother one, brother two ( both older ).

partner  :  publically, none. privately, see wanted connection below.

other familial relations  :  elise dormer, née tba ( former sister in law ) ✝ tba.

languages : english, french. has repeatedly attempted to pick on greek and latin.

[    appearance    ]     ⸻

portrayed by  :  olivia cooke.

height  :  5′5″ / 165cm.

hair color + style  :  dark brown, nearly black; though originally wavy, or faintly curled, she primly curls them tighter with the assistance of hot tongs and overnight rag curls, pinning them to the latest of fashions. she is a big adept of hairdresses such as bonnets and big hats.

eye color  :  chestnut brown.

voice : per olivia's own voice, her tone is husky, yet honey - coated and she has an inclination to speak rapidly. as of the norm for the period and her station, her accent is posh, most likely some form of the RP english accent.

distinguishable marks + scars  :  dimples in her cheeks when she smiles, big doe eyes.

piercings + tattoos  :  pierced ears.

[    personality    ]     ⸻

zodiac sign  : taurus sun, aquarius rising.

mbti  :  tba .

enneagram  :  tba.

temperament  :  the executive ( choleric - sanguine ).

moral alignment  :  lawful evil.

element  :  earth.

inspirations  : becky sharp ( vanity fair ), jackie bukhart ( that 70s show ), capitu ( dom casmurro ), petra solano ( jane the virgin ), nurbanu ( magnificent century ), lucrezia borgia ( history ).

[   history ]     ⸻

trigger warnings for: parental death, death by childbirth, gambling addiction.

the former baron and baroness dormer were once forces to be reckoned in, in the public eye. the first of his line to attend the house of the lords, and the minor cousin of a gentry family who became the diamond of her season, joseph and amelia were both gregarious and expansive, and their match was an envious one, both for their matching of wits and of the matters of the heart — they were desperately in love, and one accommodated and partnered the other: amelia aided him in relations outside of the parliament while commanding their household, and he rejoiced in oratory, as well as giving her every opportunity to shine on society. 

her last labor came as a surprise — it was by the end of the season, and despite being heavily pregnant, amelia would not waste precious time, but the babe came too early. the birth was a mess, and though the child would come out hearty and loud, lady amelia would remain quiet and pale for the rest of the week. joseph fell in denial, believing his wife could somehow recover, but by the end of the week, amelia had made her peace with dreaded death, ordering her husband to care for their children and their life together, and naming their only daughter augusta, after a princess the lady had once much admired.

it was the least to say joseph did not entirely abide to his wife's plans. though there were some self - insistence, at least at first, not to forgo his family — particularly, augusta never believed her father wished her harm or believed her some evil that took away his beloved wife, nor did he ever remarry, when he as well could have had — his social excellence seemed to have been tightly connected to amelia, and, without her to guide him, the baron soon turned to vices. it was a method of relief: long nights with drinks over games of cards, locked in rooms with his friends from the parliament, but once friendly games became a constant monthly debit — for joseph's luck had run out, it seemed — it was felt. tongues began to wag, a rumor here and there about how often joseph was politely escorted away or denied from gambling tables, or how much he lingered at the tracks, and at boxing rings; when the london house was "closed off", "lended" to a "friend of the family" for the season, all that was said was that the family needed the fresh airs of buckinghamshire, away from the memories of lady amelia and her immense joy.

for augusta, however, those memories were important. without the guidance of her mother, she relied on her ghost, on the many portraits, on words of her brothers and father and every one who had once felt the glimmer of lady amelia. though in distance, augusta wished to emulate her mother: her beauty, her elegance, her charisma. like a silly girl, she would play with her clothes in front of the mirror, reigning over a society of dolls. her innocence was often interrupted, however, for her father's sake. there were costs to be cut, no matter how much she begged for a gown of the finest silk or for a new hat. at some point, her brother, impatience with the burden of the keeping of the house and of the family name due to their father's negligence, went on to show her the disorganization of the books, and the lack thereof of funds to spend in more frivolities than necessary for appearance's sake.

already better at card games than her father at the cusp of teenagehood, she tried to learn accounting. her odds were improved when she realized she took to numbers better than her peers; she was too young to handle the household finances, but alongside the governess, augusta sought to familiarize herself with the matters of keeping the household, taking a load off her brother's back. by the time she was of age, she controlled the ascott house herself, gladly so, and was more than eager to debut and return to society. london was a dream come true, but not only its societal aspect. augusta realized, along with her siblings, that there were gains to be had, less explored by those of higher society — and how foolish they were, not to see the opportunity spark!

tragedy struck merciless when the new baroness dormer, too, found her demise in the birthing bed. repeating his father's tale, baron dormer returned to ascott house to find relief in the fresh air, and though augusta more or less willingly accompanied him, instead of wallowing in purposeless misery, the family found gold on the purchase of a less than savory establishment, the white rabbit. theirs in all but in name, the dormer siblings are partners, and, of course, that includes augusta, who takes care of the books of the place meticulously, always seeking for an opportunity to improve their gains, as hands on as she can possibly be under the cloak of distance. naturally, the recent misfortune situation at the white rabbit much displeases her, but she is nothing if not positive this will be but a forgotten misdemeanor in no time, and the white rabbit — and their fortunes — shall continue to rise.

[    personality ]     ⸻ 

grasping, opportunistic, materialistic, quick witted and dissimulated on the inside, on the outside, augusta is the typically accomplished gentlewoman, with practiced tunes in the pianoforte, polished steps of the cotillion and memorized pleasantries spoken with a honeyed tongue, paired with big eyes gleaming with mirth and faux innocence. she relies on keeping a clean image, and has no qualms to lie, fake, buy and manipulate her way into forcing the belief that her family’s reputation is unfounded ( #girlboss #gaslight #gatekeep, so true of her ). though she is contented with their entrepreneuring agenda — finding that running successful businesses built by them and not simply inherited all ready as many aristocrats do is very fulfilling, especially as a woman that would not have a place otherwise — she is eager for a spot in society as well, wishing she could shine as much as her mother once had.

 [    tidbids ]     ⸻

is mildly (quite) scared of horses due to an incident on the track as a child, and never learned how to horse ride.

 [    wanted connections ]     ⸻

the dormer family! they are deliciously cunning, but also very tight - or, at the very least, augusta believes herself able to manage both men and bring them together to uphold the family legacy as a whole, not just individuals. for the elder, i generally imagine that he has taken their father's failures and followed a path of improvement, and the younger, he may have been in the army or something? both of them have had a hand on bringing her up as a person, despite the not so big age difference between them all.

the white rabbit employees as a whole, but particularly, the madame, whom would be aware of the family's involvement with the estabilishment and augusta's, and fighter one, employed under the dormer state and whom i imagine to have a secret relationship of the romantic and/or sexual nature with augusta; it's not entirely pleasant, because she isn't, but there is a bit too much affection in there to loose the attachment ( slutty rec would be jack o'connell :cattongue: ).

friends, new or old! this also includes people who could have tried to pull away or have succeeded at that, believing the dormers to be too shady / improper, or people who don't believe the rumors ( augusta is certainly lying her ass off about it, so )

people who have hostile feelings towards the dormers for their alleged shady behaviors, and may try to keep them out of society somehow, which frustrates augusta as she longs to be a functioning part of it all. they could either believe being able to see past the airy nature she keeps and believe her a wolf just as her brothers, or not notice her dissimulation

regulars at the white rabbit, whom augusta would know either by official bookkeeping, or by gossip. she may use the knowledge of their enjoyment of the estabilishment to blackmail or simply to amuse herself. alternatively, people who owe debts to the dormers, or to the white rabbit, would also fall on this category

crushes, exes, etc! augusta may have a constant interest in the fighter, but she has a hidden romantic nature that has her fixating on pretty people as well as pretty things, and she just may be genuinely sweeter to those who hold either such exterior beauty or objects of luxury ( obviously open to women, men, etc, with a bit of a preference towards women )

suitor (s). augusta is not in a rush to marry, but if she is to do so, she would like it to be of high position and of good finantial situation; either way, feelings are not at all involved, nor does she want them to be.

[a-weird-cryptid]

Not all is holy

A Magnus Archives based story/fanfic

Statement of Father Thomas Bright, regarding a confession made at the London Oratory. Original statement given January 14th, 2013. Audio recording by Jonathan Sims, head achivist of the Magnus Institute, London.

Statement begins:

I worked at the London Oratory for over 30 years by now, taking over the position as a priest a few years ago, and I never had any issues with the confessions people made in the confessional. Sure, some might have been harder to handle than others, but nothing was particularly odd about them. The strangest thing I've heard until that point was a woman confessing me about her unhealthy obsession with buying expensive items and how it tore her marriage apart. She asked for advise and well, I gave some to her. Just like I always did. I was never one to judge the things I've been told. Simply accepting the story I was given, commenting on it, comforting whoever sat next to me, giving advice and so on...

That is until a few months ago. I believe it was on the 17th of November, 2012. A particular cold and busy Sunday. I still remember how exhausted I was from the day, even after the stressful part was over and all that was left to do is some preparation and organisation for the next few days.

It was already way past closing and confession time, I'd say around 08:00 pm, when I heard the heavy front door opening. I just assumed it had been the wind, since it started to pick up a lot during the last few hours. Even though I was sure I locked the door. But then I heard footsteps coming closer. I was concerned by that point, but I didn't though much of it. Still busy by my work I kindly told, whoever entered, that the church was closed and it would reopen the next morning at 7:30 am. But the footsteps were getting closer nonetheless. By this point more frustrated than concerned, I decided to make my way to the entrance, but to my surprise, I couldn't find anyone in there.

When I work overtime and alone in my church, I usually keep most lights on. Without them, it always makes the inside of the building look creepier than it already is. With all it's almost lifelike statues, that seems to stare right into my soul... Even after working there for so long, I still didn't get used to them.

I looked around, checked if somebody was hiding anywhere. I wasn't afraid, just... confused... I still couldn't find anyone, but there was this strange feeling of a presence. The same you get when you're watched behind your back. It felt strong and intimidating, sending shivers down my spine. I should have known that something was extremely off about the situation back then and there. But I just shrugged it off, blaming it on pure paranoia and the still open door with the wind whistling though it.

I made my way to it, my first few steps being unsure, but getting more confident the closer I got. As I shut down the door, locking it to make sure it couldn't open again, I started to second guess if that was a good idea... Still feeling this odd presence... Like an unspoken threat... Something that clearly means no good...

Being the believer I am, I quickly made a prayer, asking God for my protection, before moving on to go back to my paperwork. But I still couldn't shake off this sudden feeling. Of hopelessness... Perhaps even regret... Though I had no clue where it was coming from.

The presence continued to move, though this time without making a sound. And as it did, it seemed to pull me closer. As if I was attached to it with invisible strings. Slowly but surely, it made it's way towards the confessional, stopping as soon as it got inside. By this point, I decided to follow it, with a few feet of distance away from it at all times. Looking back, I don't even know why. It almost felt like my feet were going on their own... Or rather controlled by the presence...

The door of the confessional slowly closed. With a loud creaking, that echoed from the walls. Almost sounding like a choir. And I could have sworn at that very moment, I could hear the organ play ever so slightly...

It reminded me of Isaiah 6:1-4. In which Isiah described the throne of God, surrounded by an angelic choir, made out of seraphim, singing the same lines over and over again. They were the closest to the Lord, but I could tell for sure that the presence couldn't have been an angel. Or at least not anymore...

But then again, angels don't say "be not afraid" every time they appear to humans for no reason, so I thought. Leading to me making the foolish decision to sit down at the other side of the confessional. I had already convinced myself by that point that this must be a sign of God, a test, to see if my faith was still worthy. It needed my entire willpower to convince myself that I was in no harm, considering I was on holy ground and believing that an angelic being was sent to me. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Only after I closed the small door, I realized that the presence, whatever it was, must have tempted me to get in there, it already being too late to change my mind at that point. When I tried to open the door again, I was shocked to realize that it wouldn't open. Not locked by a key, or something standing in front of it... But held close by the pure willpower of what was next to me. I don't know how to explain how I knew it. I just did...

Of course I started to panic by that point, banging against the door, begging it to be opened again. To no avail.

That is when the presence first spoke to me. "Be not afraid.", it said, though I was certain it wasn't an angelic being by that time. I could hear it's voice echoing though my mind, giving me a headache, but it came equally loud from everywhere around me. Feeling like it filled up the entirety of the building. The church shook as it spoke, like during an earthquake, taking out all of the lights, leaving me in total darkness. I could hear how parts of the ceiling crashed on the floor, leaving dents in the wood and shattering the stone in the progress. I hold onto the wooden cabin for dear life, my heart pounding in my chest almost as loudly as the voice from the presence.

It was surprisingly calm though, I dare to say charming, even... In a way that made you feel lured in and tempted to follow whatever command it gives. Welcoming and warm, like a mother with open arms... Only making me even more cautious about whatever it was sitting next to me...

I tried to collect myself, holding tightly onto my cross I wore as a necklace, hoping that the Lord has heard my prayer, protecting me. My entire body was shivering, but not because of any cold. In fact, it was starting to get warmer. At first, I didn't notice it and if I did, I surely didn't payed attention to it. My entire body started to sweat. Just a little bit at the beginning, but then it got worse, as if I had a particular bad fever.

It was in that moment, that I decided to proceed like I normally would, asking the presence what's bothering it. My voice was mumbled and quiet. Unsure and hesitan. But the one next to me seemed to have understood it nonetheless.

It answered me, bringing the church to crumble down further in the progress and worsening my headache.

It told me about the war against God, the betrayel of his friend it lead to... And about the regret it feels for it. The shame... The sorrow... The pain that came with all of it... I almost felt sorry for it, if it wasn't for the unbearable becoming heat in the cabin and the feeling of the walls around me getting closer while the ceiling was crashing down on me.

I could feel that my hands burned badly. Just like any other skin exposed or otherwise. Peeling of my flesh, as if I had the worst sun burn of my life. I felt like I was burned alive, stuck in an ever getting smaller space.

I never had any problems with the size of the confessional, but during that moment, it felt like I had no place to move in, no place to get rid of the burning hot walls, them only tightening around me, taking away my space to breath.

Then the presence told me about the fall of Lucifer. And the, quite literally, hell of a place all of those fallen angels, lost souls, ended up in.

"But you already know all about hell and suffering, isn't that right, Father Thomas?.", it's voice echoed. I still remember the laughter that came after it, sadistic and cruel, like it was enjoying the pain it was inflicting on me. I don't know what I believe was scarier. It, or the fact that it knew who I was without me ever mentioning it. But I can't say I'm surprised.

As I cried in pain, begging for it to stop the torture, watching as black skin paled off my body, smoke started to come from my surroundings. If I didn't knew it any better, I'd even say myself. Like acid it burned in my eyes, filling up every inch of my lungs and eventually body. Caughing didn't helped either, only worsening the effect.

Then, the presence said something about advice, but I couldn't hear it anymore. Desperately trying to keep myself alive and stop my robe from catching on fire.

But the deal it offered me next I could hear loud and clear. My place in heaven, it return for me getting out of there alive. Without hesitation I agreed to the deal, just wanting for it all to end. For the overwhelming pain and heat to stop.

And it did.

Just like that I found myself back in the normal confessional. With the only evidence of it ever burning being a few marks and a faint smell of smoke. The lights were back on, as I could tell from the small gaps of the cabin's wood. I examined my skin, discovering that the burns were mostly gone, only leaving a few nasty ones here and there. Nothing of the blackened, peeled skin remaining.

When I tried to open the small door, I noticed it being unlocked again. Slowly I made my way out of the confessional, with my legs still shaking. I still felt the presence, though this time it seemed to come from the ceiling. I could hear the flapping of wings coming from the same direction. Then I heard a window glass shatter and caught a glimpse of what could only be described as a rotting angel. Before the presence was gone for good, leaving me standing alone in the church.

I didn't quite know what to do at this point, so I decided cleaning up the mess was as good as anything else. I also treated my left over burns with some wine, usually stored in the church for festival events. It wasn't the best desinfectant, for sure, but it was better than leaving the open wounds untreated. I believe my mind was too overwhelmed to comprehend what happened at that moment. All of the damage this... angel looking like devil... had done to the church was gone, as if nothing had happened.

After getting rid of the glass shards, I made my way to the confessional again. Trying my best to get rid of the burn marks. Which was surprisingly easy.

There was something else I should probably mention. When I checked the cabin the presence sat in, I found a large, white feather. Assumingly from it's wings... Which I decided to bring for... Well... This statement as well for further investigation...

Statement ends.

Well... this surely was unsettling. After questioning Father Thomas further, he stated that this incident was one of a kind and no further strange things happened during his work ever since. Though he seemed strangely exhausted when giving the statement, as if he didn't sleep properly for days, according to the staff.

Personally, I believe that the incident was most likely caused by just that. Exhaustion, a lot of stress and a lack of sleep over a long period of time. As well as the abuse of alcohol, more specifically wine. Said combination leading to those extreme hallucinations.

One of the staff members also reported to see some scarring on Father Thomas' arms. The type of which can only be created by a fourth-degree-burn left untreated by a doctor. The priest is also reported to be extremely interested in our further research. More so than most others giving statements. A few files about demonology, demonic possessions and exorcisms were stolen from the Archive, the day the statement was given, though the police found no evidence for Father Thomas to be responsible for it.

I can't say if this strengthens the evidence and truth of the statement given by him, though I think it's an oddly coincidence for sure.

I let Sasha do some research about the local news reports of earthquakes during that time, as well as any other reports of the London Oratory being destroyed.

Besides a few renovations that were made to replace and strengthen part of the churchs, damage that has mostly been made by time, she returned empty handed. No records or any kind point to the incident Father Thomas described.

Though one document of a renovation, made on December 1st, 2012, states that one of the windows of the dome had to be replaced, due to it being shattered. Most likely due to it being frozen and therefore easier to break. Assumedly done so by some kind of bird, since a few blood strains and feathers were found stuck on the remaining glass. All of which were white and of various sizes. The zoologist department of King's Collage confirmed that the ones found at the window match the one sealed in a plastic bag, which was given to us by Father Thomas after ending his statement. They didn't match any currently known species.

Personally, I don't believe this case needs any further investigation, but Tim seemed to be thrilled when the topic "architecture of the church" was brought up, although it was quick to fade when I explained to him that it was not one from Robert Smirk's design.

Nether the less, he insisted on getting some reevaluation on the case, so I just sent Martin. Though I most definitely believe it is just a waste of time.

End recording.

Author's Note:

Thank you so much if you've read so far!

I wanna give a HUGE shout-out to my friend, @sarah-kings, who helped me a lot with the final version of this story and it's titel, giving a lot of constructive criticism to my first draft. And even writing a bit for me, at the end of the story, regarding the part with Tim wanting to further investigate. Since I'm not too familiar with all of the different characters of TMA yet, only being at episode 18 of the first season (no spoilers please!). But I still wanted to include them.

I also want to thank them for continuing to drag me into this fandom. I listen to 2 or 3 episodes months, or even years ago. But never got really into it, since I didn't though it to be too interesting at first. But they told me it gets better, so I really hope it's worth to keep going.

Furthermore, I want to add that I wrote this fanfic in a way that makes it plausible for it to be canon in my own stories as well. If you're somewhat familiar with the Ocs I've introduced so far, you might even be able to put all of the puzzle pieces together. I will most likely add Father Thomas Bright to my official Oc list for the very same reasons.

For more original series, as well as reviews, discussions and similar, check out my master list of series.

[indelibleautumn]

Margaret Whigham, acclaimed society beauty and gossip columnists' favourite, and later, the Duchess of Argyll, wore a stunning Norman Hartnell gown for her 1933 wedding to Charles Sweeny at Brompton Oratory, London. The dress took a team of 30 seamstresses six weeks to make, and the bride thought it shockingly expensive at £52.

A frenzy of public interest in the wedding was spurred on by daily mentions of Margaret in the newspapers. On the day, the couple's exit from the Brompton Oratory was filmed by Pathé, and shown as a newsreel entitled Brilliant Society Wedding. So large was the crowd of spectators, Hyde Park traffic was brought to a halt. For an event that was so much in the public eye, a spectacular dress was needed. Luckily, leading British fashion designer Norman Hartnell – who would later design both the wedding dress and Coronation gown of Queen Elizabeth II – did not disappoint.

Designed specifically for making an entrance, Margaret's dress has an 18-foot train framed in ruched silk tulle. It is scattered with pearl-embroidered stars, some of which are transparent, placed both on the skirt and at reasonably risqué points on the dress's bodice. Opulent and lavish, this dress, and the extreme public interest it inspired, secured its wearer's position as a signifier of sumptuous sexuality and style.

[heavenboy09]

Happy Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊  To The Most Sexiest & Alluring Talented Black British 🤎🖤 Actress Of The UK 🇬🇧 that has been such a Delight seeing her Acting on The Big Screen and on TV.

She was born on 22 October 1973 in Kensington, London, England. She is the daughter of a Scottish mother, Elizabeth (née Douglas), and a Nigerian father, Charles Ejogo. Ejogo remembers her mother as having been "a bit of a hippie" during her childhood. She attended the Oratory Roman Catholic Primary School and Glendower Preparatory School, and was then educated at Godolphin and Latymer School.

 She is a British actress and singer. She is best known for her roles in such films as Metro (1997), Love's Labour's Lost (2000), What's the Worst That Could Happen? (2001), Boycott (2001), Away We Go (2009), Sparkle (2012), Alex Cross (2012), The Purge: Anarchy (2014), Selma (2014), Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016), It Comes at Night (2017), Alien: Covenant (2017), and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018).

She has appeared as civil rights activist Coretta Scott King in two films: Boycott (2001) and Selma (2014). While preparing for the role in Boycott, she met with King and was given King's blessing for her portrayal.

Please Wish This Beautiful Black British Actress A Very Happy 50th Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊

You May Know Her

& If You Dont, You Will & You Sure Going To Love Her Elegant Style Of Acting 🤎🖤

The 1 & The Only

MS. CARMEN  ELIZABETH EJOGO 🤎🖤🇬🇧 🥰

HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 TO YOU MS. EJOGO & HERE'S TO MANY MORE LOVELY YEARS TO COME ❤

#CarmenEjogo

[ufamsetobije]

fra Mario Knezović - Božji glas osluškuj, a ne glas ovog svijeta känner DU till RR TOLKIEN ?(Here be some thoughts from Kaleb Hammond the connection between J.R.R. Tolkien and the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri, specifically the ‘London Oratory’, in the midst of which Tolkien spent his formative years. We had hoped to post them on January 3rd, Tolkien’s birthday, but, well, the best laid plans and all that. Perhaps providential, since such permits an anecdote into the author’s deep spiritual life: At sixteen, he had fallen precociously in love with Edith Mary Bratt, three years his senior, the emotional turmoil of which was affecting his grades. So his Oratorian priest-mentor, Father Francis, ordered him not to see or write to her until he turned 21. Tolkien obeyed to the letter, and Edith thought he had lost interest, so became engaged to someone else. Well, a few days after his 21st birthday – on this January 8th, in 1913 – Tolkien got on a train to meet with Edith, and boldly announced his abiding intention to marry her, to which proposal Edith happily agreed, breaking off the prior engagement. Such is love. They were married that March – and much of what unfolded in the years following provided the basis for Tolkien’s great and enduring work. But, first, to Tolkien’s formation by Saint Philip and his community of charity and joy…).One of the most important influences on J.R.R. Tolkien’s formation as a Catholic was the Oratorian spirituality of St. Philip Neri. Founded in the sixteenth century, the Oratorians follow the rule and imitate the life of St. Philip, living as a community not bound by religious vows but serving the surrounding population (most often in urban areas) and one another through “the threefold ministry given to the Apostles: prayer in common, the administration of the sacraments, and the daily Word of God. The virtues especially cultivated by Oratorians are charity, submission of the individual’s will to the collective mind of the community, and loving to be unknown.”[1] Like St. Philip, called “the third apostle of Rome” after Sts. Peter and Paul due to his service to the poor of the city and “because he did so much to restore the reputation of Rome during a period in which it had become decadent and morally corrupt”,[2] the Oratorians operate schools, visit the sick, accommodate visitors and maintain a liturgical tradition which emphasizes beauty and obedience, thus drawing many closer to Christ.Tolkien’s first contact with the Oratory came through his mother Mabel who, after taking her two sons to a series of ugly and crowded churches pastored by busy and elderly priests, decided to settle near the Birmingham Oratory, established by St. John Henry Newman as the first Oratory in Britain. There, the Tolkiens discovered a thriving house of younger priests who were passionate and well-educated.[3] With the help of one of the Oratorians, the Spanish-Welsh Fr. Francis Xavier Morgan, Mabel was able to secure Tolkien a place first in the Oratory’s cheaper St. Philip’s Grammar School, then, with the aid of her private tutoring, he was awarded a Foundation Scholarship and enrolled at King Edward’s School in Birmingham.[4]Following Mabel’s untimely death from diabetes, Fr. Morgan became the legal guardian of the Tolkien boys, raising them in what Tolkien described as “a ‘good Catholic home’ – ‘in excelsis’”, where he became “virtually a junior inmate of the Oratory house, which contained many learned fathers (largely ‘converts’).”[5] Fr. Morgan took the boys on vacations to Lyme Regis[6] while also allowing them to spend time with their relations, despite the anti-Catholic prejudices they held and from which he shielded them.[7] In this way, Fr. Francis became the one from whom, as Tolkien described, he “first learned charity and forgiveness” and corrected the prejudice of contemporary English society against Catholics, including its view of Marian devotion “as an object of wicked worship by the Romanists.”[8]The marks of Oratorian spirituality proved to be formative throughout Tolkien’s life, and in honor of them, he chose St. Philip Neri as his patron saint. This is confirmed by three interesting facts: the direct confirmation of his daughter Priscilla to Tolkien scholar Dr. Holly Ordway; the writing of his name in Elvish script as “John Ronald Philip Ruel Tolkien”; and the familiar monogram used by Tolkien which includes “the otherwise apparently extraneous spur on the right-hand side of the T upright” indicating the addition of a P to his JRRT initials. (footnote here).[9]The vocation of the Oratory is characterized by three special emphases: “fervent devotion to God the Holy Spirit, to the Blessed Sacrament, and to the Madonna.”[10] Each of these were also central to Tolkien’s own spiritual life. The Holy Spirit in Middle-earth is called the “Secret Fire” and the “Flame Imperishable,” the divine Person whom Ilúvatar (the Elvish name for the “True God”)[11] sent into the heart of the world at its Creation: “Therefore Ilúvatar gave to their vision Being, and set it amid the Void, and the Secret Fire was sent to burn at the heart of the World; and it was called Eä.”[12] He is also the one whom Gandalf invokes during his spiritual battle against the demonic Balrog on the bridge of Khazad-dûm with his memorable words: “I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. You cannot pass.”[13] Tolkien made this connection between the Holy Spirit and the Secret Fire explicit to his friend and assistant, Clyde S. Kilby.[14]Like his devotion to the Holy Ghost, Tolkien also had a deep love for Christ in the Eucharist. He was a daily communicant[15] and recommended it to his son Michael as the “only cure for sagging [or] fainting faith”;[16] greatly respected and upheld the liturgical Tradition of the Church in a time of upheavals;[17] and penned one of the most beautiful statements of Eucharistic faith in history:Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament….. There you will find romance, glory, honour, fidelity, and the true way of all your loves upon earth, and more than that: Death: by the divine paradox, that which ends life, and demands the surrender of all, and yet by the taste (or foretaste) of which alone can what you seek in your earthly relationships (love, faithfulness, joy) be maintained, or take on that complexion of reality, of eternal endurance, which every man’s heart desires.[18]Tolkien also incorporated this devotion into his legendarium, most notably in the Elven bread called lembas, agreeing with the insight of one reader who connected lembas (Elvish for “waybread”) to the Eucharist as viaticum and “to its feeding the will… and being more potent when fasting, a derivation from the Eucharist.”[19] As Tolkien scholar Bradley Birzer explains, “Indeed, the Elven lembas arguably serves as Tolkien’s most explicit symbol of Christianity in The Lord of the Rings; it is a representation, though pre-Christian, of the Eucharist. For Tolkien, nothing represented a greater gift from God than the actual Body and Blood of Christ.”[20]Likewise, he also followed the Oratorians in holding a filial love for his spiritual mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, whom he recognized as “the only unfallen [human] person,”[21] acknowledging the same aforementioned reader’s view that “the invocations of Elbereth, and the character of Galadriel as directly described (or through the words of Gimli and Sam) were clearly related to Catholic devotion to Mary.”[22] He elsewhere stated that “I owe much of this character [Galadriel] to Christian and Catholic teaching and imagination about Mary,”[23] and told his friend, Fr. Robert Murray, SJ, “I think I know exactly what you mean by the order of Grace; and of course by your references to Our Lady, upon which all my own small perception of beauty both in majesty and simplicity is founded.”[24]Two other attributes are also keys to Oratorian spirituality and were cherished by St. Philip Neri: “loving to be unknown” and a light-hearted spirit which gave St. Philip the title “the apostle of joy.” For Tolkien, “[t]he ennoblement of the ignoble” and “the ennoblement (or sanctification) of the humble” were overarching themes of his works which he found “specially moving.”[25] As he explained, “A moral of the whole… is the obvious one that without the high and noble the simple and vulgar is utterly mean; and without the simple and ordinary the noble and heroic is meaningless.”[26] Despite his impoverished and orphaned upbringing, Tolkien also had what Dr. Ordway describes as a “deep-seated streak of joy and fun”, seen especially in the simple good-nature of the Hobbits: “Both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take the characters, and the reader, through darkness, sorrow, and loss, but both stories are also deeply grounded in the simple, joyful life of the Hobbits in the Shire—where both books begin, and end.” He retained this “playful, even silly… joyfulness” into adulthood as a father and Oxford don, delighting, like St. Philip, in playing practical jokes on his friends.[27] In this way, his mother’s choice to raise him in the Oratory proved to be one of many special graces imparted through her to Tolkien.Footnotes:[1] Birmingham Oratory, “Vocations”: https://www.birminghamoratory.org.uk/vocations/[2] Holly Ordway, “What’s in a Name? Tolkien and St. Philip Neri,” at Word on Fire (26 May 2023), at http://www.wordonfire.org.[3] Holly Ordway, Tolkien’s Faith (Elk Grove Village, IL: Word on Fire Academic, 2023), chapter four.[4] Birmingham Oratory, “Tolkien and the Oratory”: https://www.birminghamoratory.org.uk/tolkien-and-the-oratory/[5] J.R.R. Tolkien; Humphrey Carpenter and Christopher Tolkien (eds), The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien (New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2000), letter 306. Kindle.[6] Birmingham Oratory, “Tolkien and the Oratory”: https://www.birminghamoratory.org.uk/tolkien-and-the-oratory/[7] Ordway, “What’s in a Name? Tolkien and St. Philip Neri.”[8] Tolkien, letter 267.[9] Ordway, “What’s in a Name? Tolkien and St. Philip Neri.”[10] Birmingham Oratory: https://www.birminghamoratory.org.uk/vocations/[11] Tolkien, letters 156, 183.[12] J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion, ed. Christopher Tolkien (London: HarperCollins, 2013), 15.[13] J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings (Mariner Books, 2004), 330. Kindle.[14] Clyde S. Kilby, Tolkien & The Silmarillion (Wheaton, Illinois: Harold Shaw Publishers, 1976), 59.[15] George W. Rutler, “To his dying day, Tolkien was a daily communicant,” Catholic Education Resource Center (19 May 2019), https://www.catholiceducation.org.[16] Tolkien, letter 250.[17] Tolkien, letter 306.[18] Tolkien, letter 43.[19] Tolkien, letter 213.[20] Bradley J. Birzer, Sanctifying Myth: Understanding Middle-earth (Wilmington, Delaware: ISI Books, 2002), 63.[21] Tolkien, letters, p. 454.[22] Tolkien, letter 213.[23] Tolkien, letter 320.[24] Tolkien, letter 142.[25] Tolkien, letters 165 and 181.[26] Tolkien, letter 131.[27] Ordway, “What’s in a Name? Tolkien and St. Philip Neri.”lite mera om DU gillar att läsa ?https://open.substack.com/pub/liturgicalyearinart/p/fra-angelicos-last-judgment-and-hallowtide?r=4mab6i&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=emailmorfar och farfar hade oxar kommer ihåg men var dock väldigt litenOXENS symbol är APOSTELN LUKAS som var läkarehttps://x.com/TaylorRMarshall/status/1876870417777910216https://x.com/GloryBeeGod4evr/status/1876599105201619362 St. Thomas Aquinas writes, “Mary is the whole hope of our salvation,” and “Through the intercession of Mary any souls are in Paradise who would not be there had she not interceded for them, for God has entrusted her with the keys and treasures of the heavenly kingdom.”To deny Mary’s role in the Incarnation is to deny or attack the Incarnation itself. Saint John defines the antichrist as ‘a spirit’ (I Jn IV, 3)that does not confess ‘Jesus Christ come in the flesh’ (II Jn 0,7), the spirit at work in all the false religions and great heresies.What is the devotion to Our Lady of Prompt Succor? The devotion to Our Lady of Prompt Succor, also known as Our Lady of Quick Help, is a Marian devotion within the Catholic Church, which centers around the belief that the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, is a source of help and protection in times of need. This devotion is based on the belief that Mary, as the mother of Jesus and a mother to all, is able to hear the cries of her children and to come to their aid quickly and efficiently.The devotion to Our Lady of Prompt Succor is closely linked to the idea of Mary as a motherly figure who is able to offer assistance and support to those who are in need. Many people turn to Our Lady of Prompt Succor in times of crisis, seeking her intercession and protection in difficult situations. The devotion to Our Lady of Prompt Succor is particularly popular among Catholics in the state of Louisiana, USA where there’s a long history of devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary under this title.One of the unique aspects of the devotion to Our Lady of Prompt Succor is that it is open to anyone who is in need of help, regardless of their background or beliefs. Many people who are not Catholic or who do not have any specific religious beliefs find comfort in the devotion, as it is seen as a source of hope and support.The devotion to Our Lady of Prompt Succor also emphasizes the importance of faith and trust in Mary’s protection. It is believed that those who turn to Our Lady of Prompt Succor with faith and trust will be granted her help and protection.The Feast Day of Our Lady of Prompt Succor is celebrated on January 8th. On this day, Catholics gather at the church to pray, sing hymns and attend mass in honor of Our Lady. Many people make a pilgrimage to the church on this day, sometimes traveling from great distances.The devotion to Our Lady of Prompt Succor is also spread by different groups and communities dedicated to promote the devotion and to offer spiritual and emotional support to those who are in need. Many of these communities have a website or social media where they provide resources, prayers, and information about the devotion.The devotion to Our Lady of Prompt Succor is also present in many other parts of the world, particularly in areas with large Catholic populations. Many churches, chapels and shrines are dedicated to Our Lady of Prompt Succor, and the devotion is particularly popular among those who are facing difficult situations and seeking Mary’s assistance.In conclusion, the devotion to Our Lady of Prompt Succor is a Marian devotion within the Catholic Church, which centers around the belief that the Virgin Mary is a source of help and protection in times of need. It’s based on the idea of Mary as a motherly figure who cares for and understands those who are in need, it’s open to anyone, regardless of their background or beliefs, and it emphasizes the importance of faith and trust in Mary’s protection. This devotion is particularly popular in Louisiana, USA. The Feast Day of Our Lady of Prompt Succor is celebrated on January 8th, and the devotion is spread by different groups and communities, and it’s particularly popular among those who are in need and seeking Mary’s assistance.Our LadyOur Lady of Prompt Succor with a Our Lady of Prompt Succor – and AgainSt. Hurricanes Prayer CardWhen is the Feast Day of Our Lady of Prompt Succor The Feast Day of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, also known as Our Lady of Quick Help, is celebrated on January 8th every year. This date marks the anniversary of the dedication of the Shrine of Our Lady of Prompt Succor in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1810.Our Lady of Prompt Succor is the patroness of the city of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana. She is invoked for her powerful intercession, especially during times of crisis and need. The tradition tells that the Virgin Mary appeared to a French Ursuline Sister in 1810 and promised to protect the city of New Orleans, especially during Yellow fever epidemics, and other crises.The Feast Day of Our Lady of Prompt Succor is celebrated with mass and processions, and with the recitation of the Rosary. Many people will also light candles and offer prayers to Our Lady of Prompt Succor. It is a time for Catholics to come together and reflect on the messages of the Virgin Mary and to ask for her intercession in their own lives.This Feast Day is also an opportunity for Catholics to honor the Virgin Mary, who is the patroness of the city of New Orleans, and to seek her protection and guidance. The messages of Our Lady of Prompt Succor encourages the faithful to lead a life of prayer and devotion and to trust in her powerful intercession.Whether you’re able to attend mass on this day or not, the Feast Day of Our Lady of Prompt Succor is an opportunity to honor the Virgin Mary and to reflect on her role in your life. It is a reminder of her constant presence and her love for all her children.Gospel Reflection on the 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time Christ Came to Set us Free This week’s Gospel reading speaks to us about morality. Morality is the way we live our lives as disciples of Jesus. James exhorts us in the second reading: “be doers of the word and not hearers only”. The word of God is living and active. Rather than being something that can be grabbed and possessed, the Word of God grabs and possesses us, it spurs us on to action. We hear the word of God and we want to put it into practice.Sounds good so far, right? Hear the word of God and put it into practice by living a moral life. But, there can often be a bit of a disconnect between faith and life. We hear about Jesus, we believe in him, we want to be his disciples, we understand that living the moral life is what this means. Then what do we get?It seems like we get a bunch of rules and regulations. We want to follow Jesus, and we get a list of things we are not supposed to do: thou shalt not this, that, and the other thing. Whether it is the Ten Commandments, the moral teachings of the gospel, or something from the Catechism, it seems to outline a bunch of stuff we are not allowed to do.God’s Teachings Through the CommandmentsDoesn’t it seem like God looked at the human heart, found all the things we really want to do, then made commandments against it? Don’t we love to speak ill of our neighbor: can’t do it, that’s gossip. Don’t we just love to be angry at our enemies: can’t do it, we are supposed to love our enemies. Don’t we just love to indulge in any kind of pleasurable thing: can’t do it, that is lust, or greed, or gluttony. It seems like we are stuck in some cosmic tug of war.On the one hand there is the moral code, and on the other, there are the inclinations of our hearts set in opposition. So, for many of us, life becomes a matter of trying to dodge the sin we might desire in our hearts. It is almost as if sin were potholes in the road: if we can just make it down the street without hitting any of the major potholes we will be ok. But, this is a crazy way to live life. And this is not what morality is supposed to be about. Morality is not a matter of avoiding sin. Rather, it’s about living life to the full.Listen again to the words from Deuteronomy: hear the statutes and decrees (why? So that life will be miserable and you will be prone to fail? No) so that you may live, and may enter and take possession of the land. That is so beautiful, “hear the statutes and decrees so that you may live”. God gives us the commandments through Christ and the Church not because he wants us to struggle and fail, but because he wants us to be happy and blessed. We were not made for sin! We were made to be holy, to be with God, to live.Sacraments Set Us Free But, what about our sinful inclinations: today Christ labels it so well, there is a bunch of junk that can pour out of our hearts: evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, etc. We have inherited original sin, we are prone to fall. But, Christ came to help us. Through grace, we can be healed, maybe not totally in this life. Christ came to set us free, he came to purify our minds and our hearts. Jesus did not come simply to give us a new set of rules and regulations; rather, he came to set us free. He does this especially through the sacraments. When we are baptized, confirmed, when we receive communion, confess our sins, when we are anointed, when you got married, when I got ordained, the grace of God is at work within us, making us more like Christ, healing us down to our hearts.So the moral life was not given to us to make us miserable. It is a guide to true human fulfillment. While our hearts are set in opposition to the law, Christ came to set us free. We cannot lose hope. Christ came to renew and transform us, Christ came to heal our hearts, so that a life of discipleship is not one of misery, but one of joy. Right here in this Holy Eucharist Christ pours his life out for us, as we receive his body and blood, he can transform us, heal us, set us free so that we can live and be with him in that promised land that awaits us.Rules Versus Freedom Today’s readings get to the heart of something I think is very important: namely the difference between the rules and a relationship with Christ. Christianity is not simply a set of rules and regulations. Jesus does not set out for us a bunch of hoops to jump through, he wants us to follow him. He is calling us by name. He invites us to be his followers. He tells us that he will lead us to his Father. He promises to give us life eternal. Jesus did not come to simply give us a new set of rules. His criticism of the Pharisees shows that pretty well. Jesus doesn’t want us to jump through hoops, he wants to change our hearts. But, does this mean there are no rules? No regulations? No guidelines?Why Do Catholics Have So Many Rules? There are 1752 canons in the code of Canon law that Catholics follow. But, why do those rules exist? The law of the church helps to organize the outward structures of the church, it safeguards the rights of the faithful, it gives structure and coherence to the body of Christ. The law of the church is never a substitute for faith in Christ. Rather, the law presupposes a personal relationship with Christ. Without faith in Christ, the laws of the church all seem pretty silly. Law and faith, it seems to me, go hand in hand. You really cannot have one without the other. Canon law without faith is silly; faith without canon law would be anarchy and chaos.We always need to have a good mix between structure and spontaneity, between law and faith. If it’s all one and none of the other things will go poorly. A healthy life of faith is structured, but also spontaneously moved by Christ and the Spirit. But, some people’s life of faith is nothing but rules and regulations. For these people, there is mortal sin everywhere, and they are just trying to dodge it. Here, the only reason we would go to church is to be sure we don’t end up going to hell. It seems like the life of faith is more than just the rules, just dodging sin.What are Cafeteria Catholics? But, we can go to the other extreme as well. Some people say that all that matters is their relationship with God. This extreme usually says: I’m a person of faith, but I don’t need religion. I can talk to God any time I want to, but I don’t have to go to church. I believe in God, but I don’t believe all those rules the church made up, etc. Sometimes, these individuals are called “Cafeteria Catholics”, meaning they walk down the line of what the Catholic Church offers, and they pick and choose what they like and walk away from the aspects they do not like about the church. A life of faith like this has no root, no foundation, no guidance, no anchor. Without structure, human beings end up in anarchy.So, there always has to be a good mix. If you tend to be a more rule-driven person, spend time praying to Christ as a way to build up that relationship with him. Ask him to fill your heart with the guidance of the Spirit. If you have that spiritual relationship with Christ, make sure you learn more about the implications of this relationship. Learn why the Church teaches what it does. Make sure your life of faith is structured with sound teachings. Faith without rules is anarchy, but rules without faith do not make sense either. If we are going to grow in our life of faith, we need to grow closer to Christ, but also to learn the teachings and practice of the faith.Jesus did not come to earth simply to give us a new set of rules, or hoops to jump through. He calls us to a change of heart. But, we will never be able to have that change of heart unless we listen to his voice, a voice that speaks to us through the teachings of the Church.Living Out the Word of God St. James’ letter is enjoyable to read because he is very down to earth and practical. Consider the line from today’s reading: “be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” I think that St. James is describing a disconnect that many of us feel from time to time. We want to do the right thing. But, if we are honest, we do not do the right thing. We hear the Word of the Lord, but we find it tough to live it out.It seems that the Pharisees are being challenged by Jesus for the same gap, the same disconnect. They are passing along the teachings of the Bible, but he is pointing out that they are not getting to the deep truth of the law. Concerned with actions, they are missing something. It is good for us to pay attention, because if we stay concerned with actions alone, we will miss something too. Whenever we read the gospels it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking about the Pharisees as being bad people. They tend to get the brunt of Jesus’ wrath. We can even use the word Pharisee as an insult right? Don’t be a Pharisee… But, Pharisees were anything but bad people.Pharisees were religious leaders. They were teachers of the Torah. They studied the scriptures. They tried to live the commands. They tried to teach others to live God’s commands too. In fact, I often think that they had my job. As pastor, my job is to receive God’s word. To put it into action in my own life and to teach other people how to put it into action.Finding Deeper Love through Jesus Holy-Spirit-in-Nature So, where do they go wrong? In today’s Gospel, they are focusing on the washing of hands, which, we can all agree is a good thing to do. We can all agree that cleanliness is a good thing. Hopefully you wouldn’t say that Jesus is teaching us to break the laws or the commandments. Actually, what Jesus is doing is showing us that we need to go deeper. What is the cause of the gap between being hearers and doers of the word? What is the gap between wanting to do the right thing, and not being able to do it. Simple: the gap is the human heart.Perhaps the most radical thing that Jesus did was to extend the gospel into the hearts of the faithful. You see, the law does a great job of telling us about our conduct: do not kill, do not commit adultery, etc. But, Jesus wants more. He wants his love and mercy to live in our hearts. The grace of the New Testament is that God can change us from the inside out.The Pharisees probably never considered that a person could have a new heart. Perhaps they never considered that a person could get rid of anger, but they could stop from killing people. Perhaps they never considered that a person could get rid of lust, but they could stop from committing adultery. We would all agree that abstaining from murder and adultery is really great. But, if we are still holding on to anger, jealousy, lust, envy, etc. We will never be truly free.Focusing on the externals is much easier than the conversion of the heart. This is why Jesus is arguing with the Pharisees today. Of course it’s important to follow the commandments, but to live freedom to the fullest requires a new heart.How to Open Your Heart to Jesus So, how do we get this new heart? Number 1: prayer. God can change us from the inside out. But, he doesn’t do it against our will. Prayer is a time for us to call on God and to invite him in. “Lord, change my heart. Give me your grace. Take away my anger, fill me with compassion.” These prayers are really effective. And, we only have to pray like this for the rest of our lives. So, no better time than to start today.A second step would be to bring some conscious awareness to your thoughts and emotions. How many of us can even say that we recognize that we are being affected by anger, jealousy or the lot? Yet, we might say that we are struggling with sin. Jesus tells us that all sin starts in the heart. So, if we take some time to bring awareness to what is going on in our internal life, we might find the roots of some of our issues.Third, it can be really helpful to reach out to another person. If we are carrying around any number of negative feelings and emotions, it can feel overpowering at times. It’s really hard to change our lives when we are burdened with these things. Yet, by sharing what is going on with a trusted friend, the burden seems a little lighter. Also, I find that journaling really helps. To get negative stuff down on paper helps to take away its power.Prayer, awareness, and assistance. These things can really help to give us a new heart, one that is full of love and goodness. Because, the Pharisees had one thing right, we do need to follow the commandments. But, Christ has something even more amazing in mind. He wants us to live a true life of freedom, inside and out. And isn’t that what we all want?Gospel from the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. —For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders. And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds. — So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?” He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts. You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.”He summoned the crowd again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.“From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.”There is a whisper that threads its way through the hearts of men, insidious and relentless. It is the voice of the adversary, the prince of lies. Before the sin, he comes to you, cloaked in guile and with a serpent’s tongue he speaks: ‘It is nothing. No one will know. It matters not.’ He soothes your conscience, dulls your vigilance and leads you, step by step, toward the abyss. . And once you have fallen, once the deed is done, his mask slips away and the true face of his malice is revealed. He turns upon you with venom in his voice and fire in his eyes. ‘Unforgivable,’ he hisses. ‘You are lost. God will not have you.’ In your ear, he weaves his web of despair, binding you in chains of shame, so that you might never rise again. This is his great design—to convince you that the mercy of God cannot reach where you have fallen. . But hear me now and hear me well: this is the greatest of all lies! There is no pit so deep, no sin so vile, no fall so great that the love of God cannot redeem. Did not Christ Himself walk among sinners, dining with tax collectors, forgiving adulterers, healing the broken? Did He not bear the weight of our sins upon His back, ascending the hill of Golgotha to offer His blood for our redemption? . The devil seeks to chain you in despair but Christ holds the key to your freedom. Where Satan whispers of your unworthiness, the Lord proclaims your value. Where Satan points to your sin, Christ points to His cross. Remember this: the blood of the Lamb is sufficient—sufficient for every sin, for every failure, for every soul that seeks forgiveness. The mercy of God is greater than the malice of the enemy and His grace is deeper than any wound. . Do not let the adversary convince you to wallow in despair. Repent and rise again. For the Lord is not a tyrant eager to condemn but a Father who runs to meet His prodigal child. His arms are open, His heart is ready and His forgiveness is abundant. It is not your sin that defines you, but the grace of God that restores you. . Before the sin, remember the consequences. And after the sin, remember the cross. When the devil speaks, silence him with the Word of God. When he accuses, remind him that your debt has been paid. Stand firm in the truth, and let no lie of the enemy rob you of the joy of salvation. For though the devil may whisper, it is the voice of Christ that thunders across eternity: ‘You are forgiven. You are mine.’“There is no middle way between Catholicism and Atheism … Hence, Protestants have abandoned themselves to the extreme of Atheism or Materialism, denying every maxim of faith. How does it happen that these new “masters of the faith” do not see that being separated from the Catholic Church, and having lost obedience to her, they have also lost the rule of faith, so that at the present time they have no sure rule by which they can ascertain what is of the faith or what is not; thus, they walk in the dark, changing the articles of their belief from day to day.On the other hand, its constant uniformity of doctrine in the dogmas of faith, from its first foundation by Jesus Christ, demonstrates the truth of the Catholic Church. It has been the same in all ages, so that the truths we believe at the present day were believed in the first ages.” – St. Alphonsus LigouriJoseph, one of the Twelve Tribes of Israel and the cherished son of Jacob and Rachel, lived a life filled with extraordinary highs and devastating lows. Betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, and imprisoned in Egypt, he rose to become the viceroy of the land—all while maintaining unwavering righteousness and a positive spirit. Read on for 21 facts about this remarkable biblical figure and the timeless lessons his story offers.1. He Was One of Jacob’s Twelve Sons Joseph was the eleventh of twelve sons born to Jacob, our third patriarch. His mother, Rachel, also gave birth to Benjamin, Joseph’s only full brother. Jacob’s other ten sons were Joseph’s half-brothers, born to Leah, Bilhah, and Zilpah.1Read: The Twelve Tribes of Israel2. His Name Means “Add” When Rachel finally had a child after years of infertility, she named him Joseph, meaning “to add,” expressing her heartfelt prayer: “May G‑d grant me an additional son.”2 The name also reflects asaf (“to gather in”), as his birth “gathered in” her shame of childlessness.3 There’s a lesson here too: We are each tasked with “adding another son”—bringing another Jew closer to their Father in Heaven.4Read: The Story of Joseph in the Bible3. He Studied Torah With His Father Joseph wasn’t just Jacob’s son; he was also his student. Jacob taught him everything he had learned at the Torah academies of Shem and Eber.5 Even after over two decades of separation (see fact 14), Joseph proved his devotion by recalling the last Torah lesson they had studied together—the laws of the Eglah Arufah (“Decapitated Calf”).6Read: The Yeshiva of Shem and Eber4. His Brothers Were Jealous of Him Joseph was Jacob’s favorite son, born in his old age to his beloved Rachel. Jacob made this affection clear by giving Joseph a specially crafted, colorful garment. This favoritism fueled jealousy among Joseph’s brothers, straining their relationship.7 The Talmud draws a timeless lesson from this story: differentiating between children by giving preferential treatment to one (or some, but not all), even in a small way, can lead to discord and resentment.8Read: Why Did the Brothers Hate Joseph?5. He Had Two Prophetic Dreams Joseph shared two dreams with his brothers—dreams that only deepened their resentment. In the first, he and his brothers were binding sheaves of wheat in the fields. Suddenly, Joseph’s sheaf stood upright and the brothers’ sheaves circled his and bowed to it. In the second dream, the sun, moon, and eleven stars (representing his parents and brothers) bowed to him.9 His brothers saw arrogance,10 but these dreams were actually prophetic signs of the future.Read: Joseph’s Dream6. His Brothers Sold Him Into Slavery One day, Jacob sent Joseph to check on his brothers who were tending their sheep near Shechem. When he arrived, the brothers saw an opportunity to rid themselves of him and threw him into a pit. Then, spotting a caravan of traders, they sold him as a slave. Joseph was taken to Egypt and sold to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s ministers.11Read: Go Down Like Joseph7. He Overcame Temptation In Potiphar’s house, Joseph’s charm and success earned him a position as head of the household. But Potiphar’s wife was drawn to Joseph’s good looks and tried to seduce him. One day, when no one else was home, she grabbed his garment, demanding he give in. Joseph fled, leaving his cloak behind.12 His extraordinary self-control earned him the title “Joseph the Righteous” (Yosef HaTzaddik).13Read: Countering the Voice of Temptation8. His Descendants Are Spared the “Evil Eye” The Talmud explains that Joseph’s reward for resisting Potiphar’s wife—even refusing to gaze at her sinfully with his eyes—was measure for measure: his descendants are immune to the “evil eye.”14Read: What Is the Evil Eye?9. Even Imprisonment Didn’t Lower His Spirits After he rejected her advances, Potiphar’s wife falsely accused Joseph of trying to assault her. As a result, he was thrown into prison for twelve years.15 Far from wallowing in anger and indignation, Joseph maintained his faith and positivity, noticing when other inmates were feeling down and offering his help.1610. He Was a Master Dream Interpreter Joseph had the unique ability to accurately interpret dreams. While in prison, he interpreted the dreams of his fellow inmates, the royal sommelier and the royal baker.17 Word of Joseph’s skill eventually reached Pharaoh, whose troubling dreams no one else could explain, setting the stage for Joseph’s incredible rise to power.18 All along, however, Joseph refused to take credit, attributing his interpretations to G‑d.19Read: Joseph the Charmer11. He Was Viceroy of Egypt Joseph explained Pharaoh’s dreams as a Divine message predicting seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. He also advised Pharaoh how to prepare for the famine. Impressed by Joseph’s wisdom, Pharaoh appointed him his viceroy—a dramatic transformation from persecuted prisoner to powerful prince.20Read: Joseph’s Wisdom12. He Was Called Tzafnat Paaneach Upon his appointment as viceroy, Pharaoh named Joseph Tzafnat Paaneach.21 While some believe it is an Egyptian name, others understand it as Hebrew for “clarifier of secrets.”2213. He Orchestrated One of the Most Dramatic Accounts in the Bible One of the most dramatic accounts in the Bible is the story of Joseph’s interactions with his brothers, described in the Torah portions of Miketz and Vayigash.During the famine, Joseph’s brothers traveled to Egypt to buy food, unaware that the powerful viceroy they were speaking to was their long-lost brother. Joseph tested their character, arranging a series of events—including falsely accusing Benjamin of theft—to see if they had truly changed. When they showed loyalty and self-sacrifice for Benjamin, Joseph revealed his identity in an emotional reunion.23Read: Why Didn’t Joseph Notify Jacob That He Was Alive?14. He Didn’t See His Father for 22 Years Joseph was separated from Jacob for 22 years—1 year in Potiphar’s home, 12 years in prison, and 9 as viceroy—before they were finally reunited. Remarkably, this echoes the 22 years Jacob spent away from his own father, Isaac, while working for Laban.24Read: 14 Facts About Jacob15. He Was a Model of Forgiveness When Joseph revealed his identity, his brothers feared he would seek revenge. Instead, Joseph forgave them, explaining that everything had been part of G‑d’s plan to save lives during the famine.25 Joseph’s story highlights the proper attitude toward hardships and the importance of forgiveness.26Read: Anger Management 10116. Some Say He Hid the Truth to Protect His Brothers According to one tradition, after reuniting with his brothers, Joseph asked Benjamin what their father had been told about his disappearance. Benjamin, who hadn’t been present at the sale, explained that the brothers had brought Joseph’s blood-stained coat to their father, leading him to believe a wild animal had killed him.27 To protect his brothers’ dignity, Joseph confirmed the story, saying, “That is exactly what happened. Strangers abducted me, and one of them took my coat. A lion attacked him and bloodied the coat, and the others sold me as a slave.” By concealing the truth, Joseph spared his brothers from shame.28Read: Is It Ever Permissible to Be Less Than Honest?17. He Developed a New Economic System During the famine, Joseph implemented a system to manage Egypt’s resources and ensure survival. In exchange for food, Egyptian civilians gave their private land to Pharaoh, effectively making him the sole landowner. Joseph then established a long-lasting arrangement: farmers worked the land and gave one-fifth of their produce to Pharaoh, keeping four-fifths for themselves. The priests were the only exception, as they received a royal stipend and retained their land.29 According to one tradition, Joseph showed them this favor in gratitude for their role in sparing him from the death penalty when he was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife.3018. He Was the Longest-Reigning Jewish Ruler Joseph ruled Egypt for 80 years, from age 30 until his death at 110,31 making him the longest-reigning Jewish ruler in history.3219. He Received Firstborn Rights Although Joseph wasn’t Jacob’s firstborn, he received special firstborn rights. His two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, were elevated to the status of full tribes, inheriting land in Israel just like Jacob’s own sons.33Read: Ephraim and Menasseh, Survive and Thrive20. He Is Buried in Shechem Before his death, Joseph made his family promise to transport his remains to the Promised Land.34 During the Exodus, Moses located Joseph’s bones and took them out of Egypt,35 and he was eventually buried in Shechem (Nablus).36 Unfortunately, while his tomb remains there to this day, it has been desecrated by the local population and is largely inaccessible.Read: 12 Facts About Shechem21. Yosef Is a Popular Jewish Name Tuesday, January 7 Saint of the Day: St. Raymond of Peñafort Patron Saint of Canon LawyersSaint Raymond de Peñafort, Tommaso Dolabella, 1627facebook twitter-x email nativeDominican Priest (1175-1275)His life+ Raymond was born near Catalonia, Spain, and was so bright that he was teaching philosophy in Barcelona when he was only twenty-years old. Asking for now payment, he was fully dedicated to the formation of his students.+ After he earned doctoral degrees in canon and civil law, he was made a canon, archdeacon, and vicar-general of his diocese.+ In 1222, he entered the Dominican Order and he committed himself to working for the conversion of Muslims and Jews.+ Recognizing his natural gifts and education, Pope Gregory IX summoned him to Rome and appointed him Auditor of the Apostolic Palace, Penitentiary, and Confessor to His Holiness.+ In 1238, Raymond was elected General of the Dominican Order and is credited with codifying the Order’s constitutions.+ Saint Raymond died in 1275 and was canonized in 1601. He is honored as the patron saint of canon lawyers.For prayer and reflection“May the God of love and peace set your hearts at rest and speed you on your journey; may he meanwhile shelter you from disturbance by others in the hidden recesses of his love, until he brings you at last into that place of complete plenitude where you will repose for ever in the vision of peace, in the security of trust and in the restful enjoyment of his riches.”—Saint Raymond of PeñafortSpiritual bonusOn this day, the Church also honors the memory of Blessed Marie Therese Haze, the foundress of the Sisters of the Cross of Liège (now known as the Daughters of the Cross. Known for her love of the poor and those most in need, Blessed Marie Therese died in 1876 and was beatified in 1991.PrayerO God, who adorned the Priest Saint Raymond with the virtue of outstanding mercy and compassion for sinners and for captives, grant us, through his intercession, that, released from slavery to sin, we may carry out in freedom of spirit what is pleasing to you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.(from The Roman Missal)SM

[countvonreutern]

It is with profound sadness that His Serene Highness The Count of Münnich and Reutern reflects upon the passing of his dear friend, Dr. Andrea Isobel Tanner (née Duncan), who peacefully departed this life on 23rd November 2024, at the age of 68.

Andrea was, without question, a woman of extraordinary intellect, grace and compassion. Her passing leaves a void that will be deeply felt by all who had the privilege of knowing her. Her contributions to the academic and cultural spheres of this nation were truly exceptional. As Senior Research Fellow at the University of London’s Institute of Historical Research, she commanded the admiration and respect of her colleagues and students alike. For over three decades, her work as Company Archivist at Fortnum & Mason was characterised by an unwavering commitment to history and scholarship. The meticulous restoration of the company’s war-damaged archive stands as a testament to her brilliance and dedication.

Yet, her professional accomplishments, though remarkable, tell only a part of Andrea’s story. She was a devoted friend, a wise mentor, a loving sister, aunt, and godmother. Her compassion knew no limits and her wit and wisdom enriched the lives of all who were fortunate enough to know her. Andrea’s life was defined by her values of integrity, generosity and kindness, which shone through in every aspect of her being.

The funeral service for Andrea was held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, 10th December, at The Brompton Oratory, South Kensington. In accordance with her wishes, the family kindly requested that donations in her memory be made to charities supporting the homeless and those suffering from food poverty — a cause to which Andrea was deeply committed.

Andrea, you were a luminary in every sense of the word. Your departure leaves an irreplaceable gap, but your legacy will endure through the lives you touched, the histories you preserved, and the boundless love you so generously shared.

Gu fois siod a-nis, mo charaid gràdhach. You shan't be forgotten.