Author Archives: teresa

Heinrich Seuse (c. 1295-1366): Dominican Mystic

Posted on January 23, 2012 by teresa

Today, in the liturgical calendar of the Dominican Order, Heinrich Seuse (known in English as Henry Suso) is commemorated. It is noteworthy that he was a disciple of Meister Eckhart, who was accused of heresy and asked by the Papal … Continue reading →

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A Catholic Bishop as Scientist: Nicolas Steno, Geologist, Biologist and Paleontologist

Posted on January 11, 2012 by teresa

Dear friends, you must have noticed that today’s google doodle shows a quite funny picture featuring the strata of the earth. But only by chance I got to know just a short moment ago that this is done in honour … Continue reading →

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The Isle (Ostrov): A Film on Sin, Guilt and Forgiveness

Posted on January 5, 2012 by teresa

Everyone who has read Count Tolstoy’s Resurrection must know that Sin and Guilt have an existential meaning to us human beings. Those who like to explain sin and guilt away as scarecrow invented by the religion don’t really succeed in … Continue reading →

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Transeamus usque Bethlehem: A Beautiful Christmas Pastorale from Silesia

Posted on January 1, 2012 by teresa

The Reading of today’s Mass has this passage from the Gospel (Luke 2: 16-21):

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Broom fight among Orthodox clergymen in Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity

Posted on December 31, 2011 by teresa

(I know that Toad already mentioned it on a comment thread, but here I found a more detailed story than the report on Daily Telegraph ;-)) For Orthodox Christians, Christmas has not yet arrived. Many Orthodox Christians annually celebrate Christmas … Continue reading →

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Christmas Story: a lovely Russian animation

Posted on December 24, 2011 by teresa

Part I Part II

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10-Year-Old Blind Autistic Boy Sings “Open the Eyes of my Heart”

Posted on December 11, 2011 by teresa

I know this is not a Catholic Hymn. But the story of the 10 years old boy Christopher Duffley is encouraging and shows so clearly that every single person is wanted by God and His love extents to everyone: Lyric: … Continue reading →

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St. Albert the Great (Albertus Magnus): Friendship between Faith and Science

Posted on November 15, 2011 by teresa

Albert the Great, Patron of Scientists Today the Church commemorates St. Albert the Great. He is not a too well-known Saint. Usually, people know him as the teacher of St. Thomas Aquinas, but a lot fewer know that he was … Continue reading →

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Dance of the Dead

Posted on November 7, 2011 by teresa

During the liturgical year, November is the month dedicated to the Holy Souls in Purgatory. In the place where I am living at this moment, November is the month where fog rises from the river, and spreads out over the … Continue reading →

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Teresa of Avila: Defending the Sensuality

Posted on October 15, 2011 by teresa

Today the Church commemorates Teresa of Avila (Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada), who was declared by Pope Paul VI on 27th. Sept. 1970 to be a Doctor Ecclesiae as the first woman in the history. To her many merits belong … Continue reading →

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Children in Clerical Attire

Posted on October 7, 2011 by teresa

I discovered these priceless photos through our blogging friend Augustinian Canon Herr Alipius. As a convert I would like to ask you, our dear readers, some questions: I was not born and raised in a Catholic milieu, but I’ve learned … Continue reading →

Posted in Living Catholic lives | Tagged , | 12 Comments

Francis of Assisi preaching to birds

Posted on October 4, 2011 by teresa

Today, the Church commemorates the great Saint Francis of Assisi, who is widely known as a lover of all mankind and animals. The legend of his famous sermon to the birds says (Source Here): Father Francis and his companions were … Continue reading →

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Rachmaninov: The Great Litany

Posted on October 3, 2011 by teresa

I came across this beautiful piece of music recently: It is the first movement of Rachmaninov’s Op 31, Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, the Great Litany (Великая ектения). According to the information on Wikipedia, it is “a prayerful petition in … Continue reading →

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The First Iconoclasm

Posted on September 23, 2011 by teresa

Today, some Reformed Protestants still like to accuse us Catholics of “idolatry”, retaining Calvin’s rejection of the usage of images in worship. When Calvin did talk about “image”, he meant a spiritual image of God in Jesus Christ the Word … Continue reading →

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An unusual interpretation of Gounod’s “Ave Maria”

Posted on September 20, 2011 by teresa

We are used to listening to sopranos singing Gounod’s Ave Maria, but how about a basso version? I just came across this one sung by the legendary German basso profundo Ivan Rebroff (stage name), who was originally born in Berlin, … Continue reading →

Posted in Catholic Culture | 5 Comments