Thursday, May 04, 2006
The Joys Of Roasting Heretics
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
New Template Banner
This is a view of the Gothic chapel at the Cloisters in New York. It certainly has good medieval feel, with the tombs. The only thing I was disappointed with was the size. Eight hundred pixels just doesn't big enough, though I am using a widescreen, which makes all the images look small.
Here are the two runners-up
The Saint Chapelle in Paris
I really liked this image because of its colorfulness, showing that the medieval period was not 1000 years of grey. But Photobucket killed its chances. See, the original was 1152 pixels long. Just right. But Photobucket automatically reduced it to a measly 576 pixels. Not big enough for a banner, and 76 pixels too big for text with the margins set the way I have set them.
Rose Window With Pointed Arches
I've forgotten where this one comes from, but I really liked it, too. But again, it was just not obtainable in a large enough size.
My next step is figuring out how to get "Recta Ratio" in Gothic script onto a transparent background, and superimpose it in a suitable place centered at the top of the photo.
Here are the two runners-up
The Saint Chapelle in Paris
I really liked this image because of its colorfulness, showing that the medieval period was not 1000 years of grey. But Photobucket killed its chances. See, the original was 1152 pixels long. Just right. But Photobucket automatically reduced it to a measly 576 pixels. Not big enough for a banner, and 76 pixels too big for text with the margins set the way I have set them.
Rose Window With Pointed Arches
I've forgotten where this one comes from, but I really liked it, too. But again, it was just not obtainable in a large enough size.
My next step is figuring out how to get "Recta Ratio" in Gothic script onto a transparent background, and superimpose it in a suitable place centered at the top of the photo.
Monday, May 01, 2006
May Songs
Lass Of Richmond Hill
On Richmond Hill there lives a lass
More bright than May-day morn
Whose charms all other maids' surpass
A rose without a thorn.
This lass so neat, with smiles so sweet
Has won my right good will
I'd crowns resign to call thee mine
Sweet lass of Richmond Hill.
Sweet lass of Richmond Hill
Sweet lass of Richmond Hill
I'd crowns resign to call thee mine
Sweet lass of Richmond Hill.
Ye zephyrs gay that fan the air
And wanton thro' the grove
O whisper to my charming fair
"I die for her I love."
This lass so neat, with smiles so sweet
Has won my right good will
I'd crowns resign to call thee mine
Sweet lass of Richmond Hill.
Sweet lass of Richmond Hill
Sweet lass of Richmond Hill
I'd crowns resign to call thee mine
Sweet lass of Richmond Hill.
Barbara Allen
In Scarlet town where I was born,
There was a fair maid dwellin'
Made every youth cry Well-a-day,
Her name was Barb'ra Allen.
All in the merry month of May,
When green buds they were swellin'
Young Willie Grove on his death-bed lay,
For love of Barb'ra Allen.
He sent his servant to her door
To the town where he was dwellin'
Haste ye come, to my master's call,
If your name be be Barb'ra Allen.
So slowly, slowly got she up,
And slowly she drew nigh him,
And all she said when there she came:
"Young man, I think you're dying!"
He turned his face unto the wall
And death was drawing nigh him.
Good bye, Good bye to dear friends all,
Be kind to Bar'bra Allen
When he was dead and laid in grave,
She heard the death bell knelling.
And every note, did seem to say
Oh, cruel Barb'ra Allen
"Oh mother, mother, make my bed
Make it soft and narrow
Sweet William died, for love of me,
And I shall of sorrow."
They buried her in the old churchyard
Sweet William's grave was neigh hers
And from his grave grew a red, red rose
From hers a cruel briar.
They grew and grew up the old church spire
Until they could grow no higher
And there they twined, in a true love knot,
The red, red rose and the briar.
On Richmond Hill there lives a lass
More bright than May-day morn
Whose charms all other maids' surpass
A rose without a thorn.
This lass so neat, with smiles so sweet
Has won my right good will
I'd crowns resign to call thee mine
Sweet lass of Richmond Hill.
Sweet lass of Richmond Hill
Sweet lass of Richmond Hill
I'd crowns resign to call thee mine
Sweet lass of Richmond Hill.
Ye zephyrs gay that fan the air
And wanton thro' the grove
O whisper to my charming fair
"I die for her I love."
This lass so neat, with smiles so sweet
Has won my right good will
I'd crowns resign to call thee mine
Sweet lass of Richmond Hill.
Sweet lass of Richmond Hill
Sweet lass of Richmond Hill
I'd crowns resign to call thee mine
Sweet lass of Richmond Hill.
Barbara Allen
In Scarlet town where I was born,
There was a fair maid dwellin'
Made every youth cry Well-a-day,
Her name was Barb'ra Allen.
All in the merry month of May,
When green buds they were swellin'
Young Willie Grove on his death-bed lay,
For love of Barb'ra Allen.
He sent his servant to her door
To the town where he was dwellin'
Haste ye come, to my master's call,
If your name be be Barb'ra Allen.
So slowly, slowly got she up,
And slowly she drew nigh him,
And all she said when there she came:
"Young man, I think you're dying!"
He turned his face unto the wall
And death was drawing nigh him.
Good bye, Good bye to dear friends all,
Be kind to Bar'bra Allen
When he was dead and laid in grave,
She heard the death bell knelling.
And every note, did seem to say
Oh, cruel Barb'ra Allen
"Oh mother, mother, make my bed
Make it soft and narrow
Sweet William died, for love of me,
And I shall of sorrow."
They buried her in the old churchyard
Sweet William's grave was neigh hers
And from his grave grew a red, red rose
From hers a cruel briar.
They grew and grew up the old church spire
Until they could grow no higher
And there they twined, in a true love knot,
The red, red rose and the briar.
St. Joseph the Carpenter
I prefer to drain away the Marxist overtones of the word "worker."
Here is Catholic Forum's page for Saint Joseph
Here is Catholic Forum's page for Saint Joseph
This Is the Month For Maying
Now is the month of maying, when merry lads are playing,
Fa la la la la la la la la, fa la la la la la la.
Each with his bonnie lass, a-dancing on the grass,
Fa la la la la la la la la, fa la la la la la la.
The Spring, clad all in gladness, doth laugh at Winter's sadness,
Fa la la la la la la la la, fa la la la la la la.
And to the bagpipe's sound, The nymphs tread out the ground,
Fa la la la la la la la la, fa la la la la la la.
Fie, then, why sit we musing, youth's sweet delight refusing?
Fa la la la la la la la la, fa la la la la la la.
Say, dainty nymph, and speak, shall we play barley break?,
Fa la la la la la la la la, fa la la la la la la.
Here are two other versions of a traditional Maying song.
The custom was for young people to go into the woods and gather garlands of flowers to later deck the maypole with. There would be feasting and entertainment (including morris dancing, and Robin Hood plays).
It is part of the genius of Christianity that it was able to take something that had been a part of pagan life for centuries, and graft onto it the May Procession in honor of our Blessed Lady.
Fa la la la la la la la la, fa la la la la la la.
Each with his bonnie lass, a-dancing on the grass,
Fa la la la la la la la la, fa la la la la la la.
The Spring, clad all in gladness, doth laugh at Winter's sadness,
Fa la la la la la la la la, fa la la la la la la.
And to the bagpipe's sound, The nymphs tread out the ground,
Fa la la la la la la la la, fa la la la la la la.
Fie, then, why sit we musing, youth's sweet delight refusing?
Fa la la la la la la la la, fa la la la la la la.
Say, dainty nymph, and speak, shall we play barley break?,
Fa la la la la la la la la, fa la la la la la la.
Here are two other versions of a traditional Maying song.
The custom was for young people to go into the woods and gather garlands of flowers to later deck the maypole with. There would be feasting and entertainment (including morris dancing, and Robin Hood plays).
It is part of the genius of Christianity that it was able to take something that had been a part of pagan life for centuries, and graft onto it the May Procession in honor of our Blessed Lady.
May
May's image from Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry shows the Duke and his retinue out Maying. The party includes princesses, wearing green robes produced from crushed malachite, a prince of the blood, in red, black and white, the Duke, and his dogs. The party is preceeded into the woods on the happy annual errand of bringing in the May by minstrels. The Duke's favorite little dogs are with them, also. "It's May, it's May, the beautiful month of May!"
May is devoted to Our Blessed Lady.
Important feasts observed during the month of May include:
1st St. Joseph the Carpenter
2nd St. Athanasius
3rd St. James the Lesser and St. Phillip
4th St. Florian
6th St. Dominic Savio
8th St. John the Evangelist
10th St. Solange
12th St. Flavia Domitilla (martyr) and St. Pancras
13th Our Lady of Fatima and Bl. Julian of Norwich
14th St. Matthias
15th St. Dymphna
16th St. Brendan the Navigator, St. Simon Stock, and St. John Nepomucene
19th St. Dunstan
20th St. Bernardine of Siena
24th Our Lady,Help of Christians, and St. Simeon Stylites the Younger
25th St. Pope Gregory VII
26th St. Phillip Neri
27th St. Augustine of Canterbury, and St. Bede the Venerable
28th Bl. Margaret Pole (martyr)
30th St. Jeanne de Arc
The First Friday (for purposes of the Sacred Heart devotion) is May 5th.
The First Saturday is May 6th.
May is entirely in Pascal time this year. Ascension Thursday is May 25th. Whitsunday or Pentecost is June 4th.
The intentions of our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI for the month of May 2006 are:
General: That the abundance of the gifts the Holy Spirit bestows on the Church may contribute to the growth of peace and justice in the world.
Missionary: That in the mission countries those responsible for the public institutions may, with suitable laws, promote and defend human life from its conception to its natural termination.
The Novena For the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost (the only indulgenced novena before the introduction of the Divine Mercy Novena) begins on Ascension Thursday, May 25th.
