Author Archives: teresa

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

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

Posted in Mysticism | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

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

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Comments

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

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

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Transeamus usque Bethlehem: A Beautiful Christmas Pastorale from Silesia

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

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

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

(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

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Christmas Story: a lovely Russian animation

Part I Part II

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

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

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments

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

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Dance of the Dead

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

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Teresa of Avila: Defending the Sensuality

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

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Children in Clerical Attire

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

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Rachmaninov: The Great Litany

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

Posted in Interreligious relationship, Liturgy | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The First Iconoclasm

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

Posted in Catholic Culture, Church History | Tagged | Leave a comment

An unusual interpretation of Gounod’s “Ave Maria”

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