Holy Week

Inside Catholic: "Shroud Skeptics Bump against Science" [UPDATED]

An interesting post on the Shroud of Turin at Inside Catholic:

...Experts in many disciplines have added to the growing body of knowledge about the Shroud of Turin: Physicians, historians, botanists, chemists, artists, anthropologists, physicists, textile consultants, and photographers. Their collective assessment is that, while we do not know how the image was made, we do know how it was not made. The confounding of science thus far forces a certain respect for the artifact, whatever one believes it to be: a holy relic, a pious work of art, a 14th-century hoax...

[More]

Incidentally, I recently watched an excellent History Channel documentary titled "The Real Face of Jesus?", which "follows a team of graphic experts as they use cutting-edge 3D software to bring a holy relic known as the Shroud of Turin to life".

It was a very sympathetic portrayal of the Shroud as quite possibly being authentic. Apart from a weird and completely unnecessary tangent the program takes regarding 1st and 2nd century Gnosticism, this documentary is one I can highly recommend.


Promotional images from the History Channel special, "The Real Face of Jesus?"


UPDATE
Let me just say that, if the image on the Shroud truly is that of Jesus, the 3D image that the software engineer created is surely the most accurate depiction of what our Lord actually looked like that will ever be produced. For me, the most interesting part of the program was when the researchers took a bust of Christ that was produced from the 3D image and placed it over a document scanner to produce an almost-identical replica of the face on the Shroud.

I was also pretty amazed to see the uncanny likeness of the computerized 3D image the researchers created to the portrayal of Christ by Jim Caveziel in "The Passion of the Christ".


Previous Pro Ecclesia posts on this subject:
USAToday on NBC, the Turin Olympics, and the Shroud (or Lack Thereof)

USAToday: NBC Chooses to Keep the Faith Out of Olympics — For Now

Mention of Shroud Absent From Turin Olympics Opening Ceremonies

Holy or Hoax, Shroud Still a Draw

One Reporter's Futile Attempt to See the Shroud of Turin

Criterion Online Provides "Olympic Coverage With a Catholic Twist"

Shroud of Turin Would Outdraw Winter Olympics

Before the Olympics, Turin Had the Shroud

What I'm REALLY Looking Forward To During the Turin (Torino) Olympics ...

Johnny Cash: "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?"

(Hat tip: The Son Rise Morning Show with Brian Patrick)

A Little Hank Williams for Spy Wednesday: "30 Pieces of Silver"

(Hat tip: The Son Rise Morning Show with Brian Patrick)

Stond Wel Moder Under Rode

Good Friday

Crucifixion by El Greco



The Pieta by El Greco

"Stabat Mater"

At the cross her station keeping,
Mary stood in sorrow weeping
When her Son was crucified.

While she waited in her anguish,
Seeing Christ in torment languish,
Bitter sorrow pierced her heart.

With what pain and desolation,
With what noble resignation,
Mary watched her dying Son.

Ever-patient in her yearning
Though her tear-filled eyes were burning,
Mary gazed upon her Son.

Who, that sorrow contemplating,
On that passion meditating,
Would not share the Virgin's grief?

Christ she saw, for our salvation,
Scourged with cruel acclamation,
Bruised and beaten by the rod.

Christ she saw with life-blood failing,
All her anguish unavailing,
Saw him breathe his very last.

Mary, fount of love's devotion,
Let me share with true emotion
All the sorrow you endured.

Virgin, ever interceding,
Hear me in my fervent pleading:
Fire me with your love of Christ.

Mother, may this prayer be granted:
That Christ's love may be implanted
In the depths of my poor soul.

At the cross, your sorrow sharing,
All your grief and torment bearing,
Let me stand and mourn with you.

Fairest maid of all creation,
Queen of hope and consolation,
Let me feel your grief sublime.

Virgin, in your love befriend me,
At the Judgment Day defend me.
Help me by your constant prayer.

Savior, when my life shall leave me,
Through your mother's prayers receive me
With the fruits of victory.

Virgin of all virgins blest!
Listen to my fond request:
Let me share your grief divine

Let me, to my latest breath,
In my body bear the death
Of your dying Son divine.

Wounded with His every wound,
Steep my soul till it has swooned
In His very Blood away.

Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
Lest in flames I burn and die,
In His awe-full judgment day.

Savior, when my life shall leave me,
Through your mother's prayers receive me
With the fruits of victory.

While my body here decays
May my soul your goodness praise,
Safe in heaven eternally. Amen Alleluia.

The Collegeville Hymnal
Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 1990.

Hillary!'s Touted Foreign Policy "Experience" Illusory

Turns out Hillary! wasn't so involved in her husband's key foreign policy decisions after all. For instance, while the event that I consider to be Bill Clinton's most significant foreign policy achievement was taking place in Belfast, Hillary! was thousands of miles away attending a tribute to a recently deceased pro-abortion Congresswoman:

... on the day before the signing of the Good Friday agreement in Belfast she was at an event called "Hats on for Bella" in Washington.

In her bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, Hillary Clinton has touted her experience in the Clinton White House as preparation to lead the nation in a time of crisis. "Ready on day one" has been her slogan.

But an initial reading of some of the more than 11,000 pages of Clinton's schedules from her days as first lady, released today by the National Archives and the William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Library, shows that she was often far from the site of decision-making during some of the most pivotal events of Bill Clinton's presidency.

***
... For instance, Clinton has said she helped negotiate the April 1998 Good Friday agreement between warring factions in Northern Ireland. But while Catholic and Protestant figures hashed out last-minute details of a power-sharing agreement in Belfast, Clinton was at the National Press Club in Washington at a party honouring Bella Abzug, a congresswoman from New York City who had died recently. While President Clinton phoned major participants in the peace talks, she met with Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel and joined a farewell party for Democratic operative Karen Finney. On the day the agreement was actually signed, she met with Philippine first lady Amelita Ramos.

[More]

Children's Religious Beliefs and Family Law

(Hat tip: Mirror of Justice)

The abstract of Notre Dame Law Professor Margaret F. Brinig's new paper titled "Children's Beliefs and Family Law":

In a recent series of opinions authored by Justice Stevens, the Court has recognized that children may have independent religious rights, and that these may be in conflict with their parents'. The questions for this piece are whether considering children's rights independently is a good thing whether it is warranted by children's actual religious preferences and whether children's religious activities actually do anything measurable for the children.

I do not advocate that the Supreme Court become more involved with family law than it has been since the substantive due process days of Meyer and Pierce. I am also not one to “abandon children to their rights” or otherwise suggest that children should fend for themselves without their parents' help. For me, a childhood without the nurturing environment of loving parents (or at least one parent) is dismal. However, I am encouraged that the Court seems to recognize that in families with children, the children's interests do need to be considered, and will not always mirror their parents'. Children's religious attendance does seem to make measurable differences to their well-being.

(emphasis added)

Good Friday

Crucifixion by El Greco


The Pieta by El Greco

Good Friday No Reason to Avoid Bath, Catholic Church Tells Filipinos

You just have to laugh at this one:

MANILA, Philippines: It's OK to take a bath this Friday, a Roman Catholic Church spokesman in the Philippines said in a news report, dispelling a widespread notion that bathing on Good Friday could bring bad luck.

"Take a bath," Wednesday's Business Mirror newspaper quoted Monseigneur Pedro Quitorio as saying. "These are superstitious beliefs. They have no religious bearing."

He encouraged people to bathe, especially with summer temperatures soaring to as high as 37 Celsius (98 Fahrenheit).

The Philippines, a Catholic bastion of Asia, virtually shuts down for the long Easter break as millions of people head to their home provinces to observe Good Friday, which marks the crucifixion of Jesus, and Easter Sunday, celebrating the resurrection.

Radio and TV stations stop broadcasting on Thursday and Friday. Streets are deserted and the faithful flock to churches or gather to chant prayers.

My Comments:
But what if Saturday is your usual bath night? Can't be stankin' when you put on your Sunday-go-to-meetin' clothes.

Good Friday

The Pieta by El Greco

Ironically, this year Good Friday, which commemorates the day Jesus died for our sins, falls on the same day we traditionally celebrate the moment Jesus' life began - in the womb of his mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, at the Annunciation. According to the 2005 Church Calendar, the Feast of the Annunciation will be commemorated this year on April 4 rather than on its traditional date.

I mention this, and I include the picture of El Greco's Pieta at the top of this post, in order to re-emphasize, as Mel Gibson did so magnificently in his movie The Passion of the Christ, the role of Our Blessed Lady as the first and last disciple of her son. She was there with Him at the beginning; and she was there with Him at the end. She was there when He began His ministry at Cana; and she was there when the Apostles began their ministry at Pentecost.

We must especially remember that Our Lady also suffered along with her son, as only a mother can suffer [yet also in a unique way], as He died an excruciating and undeserved death on the Cross. We are somewhat reminded of that suffering as we watch the parents of Terri Schiavo suffer along with their daughter as she dies an excruciatingly horrible death by dehydration and starvation.

I don't yet understand what lesson God has for us from what Terri is unjustly going through. But we do know that her suffering is not in vain. It is joined with Christ's redemptive suffering on the Cross for our salvation.

"Stabat Mater"

At the cross her station keeping,
Mary stood in sorrow weeping
When her Son was crucified.

While she waited in her anguish,
Seeing Christ in torment languish,
Bitter sorrow pierced her heart.

With what pain and desolation,
With what noble resignation,
Mary watched her dying Son.

Ever-patient in her yearning
Though her tear-filled eyes were burning,
Mary gazed upon her Son.

Who, that sorrow contemplating,
On that passion meditating,
Would not share the Virgin's grief?

Christ she saw, for our salvation,
Scourged with cruel acclamation,
Bruised and beaten by the rod.

Christ she saw with life-blood failing,
All her anguish unavailing,
Saw him breathe his very last.

Mary, fount of love's devotion,
Let me share with true emotion
All the sorrow you endured.

Virgin, ever interceding,
Hear me in my fervent pleading:
Fire me with your love of Christ.

Mother, may this prayer be granted:
That Christ's love may be implanted
In the depths of my poor soul.

At the cross, your sorrow sharing,
All your grief and torment bearing,
Let me stand and mourn with you.

Fairest maid of all creation,
Queen of hope and consolation,
Let me feel your grief sublime.

Virgin, in your love befriend me,
At the Judgment Day defend me.
Help me by your constant prayer.

Savior, when my life shall leave me,
Through your mother's prayers receive me
With the fruits of victory.

Virgin of all virgins blest!
Listen to my fond request:
Let me share your grief divine

Let me, to my latest breath,
In my body bear the death
Of your dying Son divine.

Wounded with His every wound,
Steep my soul till it has swooned
In His very Blood away.

Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
Lest in flames I burn and die,
In His awe-full judgment day.

Savior, when my life shall leave me,
Through your mother's prayers receive me
With the fruits of victory.

While my body here decays
May my soul your goodness praise,
Safe in heaven eternally. Amen Alleluia.

The Collegeville Hymnal
Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 1990.