For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

~ Colossians 1 :16-17





This Hubble picture has been floating around the internet for the last few days, and I could finally not resist putting it up here. This photo is from an article in the British Daily Mail.

This is the Carina Nebula, and from what I can understand (being of philosophical/ theological bent and not scientific), this area of the galaxy is apparently a star factory. All those clouds of gas are the result of hundreds (thousands ?) of stars being made. Or were made. The images are of things that took place six thousand years ago (due to the speed of light, etc.) So this actually happened around about the time the Great Pyramids were being constructed in Egypt-- and two thousand years before God called Abraham and told him that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars.

LORD, may we never be so busy, or jaded, or cynical, that we cannot look into space and say in breathless awe : "How great Thou art."

Ad multos annos !

Congratulations to Pope Benedict XVI on the 5th. anniversary of his election to the Chair of Peter.

May God protect him and give him many more years of vigorous service to our Holy Mother the Church.


Fr. Z has a few videos up.

Let all faithful Catholics of the world rejoice in God's great gift of Benedict to the Church and pray for him fervently.

V. Oremus pro Pontifice nostro Benedicto.

R. Dominus conservet eum, et vivificet eum, et beatum faciat
eum in terra, et non tradat eum in animam inimicorum eius.
[Ps 40:3]

Pater Noster… Ave Maria….

Deus, omnium fidelium pastor et rector, famulum tuum
Benedictum, quem pastorem Ecclesiae tuae praeesse voluisti,
propitius respice: da ei, quaesumus, verbo et exemplo,
quibus praeest, proficere: ut ad vitam, una cum grege sibi
credito, perveniat sempiternam. Per Christum, Dominum
nostrum. Amen.

V. Let us pray for Benedict, our Pope.

R. May the Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make
him blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the
will of his enemies. [Ps 40:3]

Our Father, Hail Mary.

O God, Shepherd and Ruler of all Thy faithful people, look
mercifully upon Thy servant Benedict, whom Thou hast chosen
as shepherd to preside over Thy Church. Grant him, we
beseech Thee, that by his word and example, he may edify
those over whom he hath charge, so that together with the
flock committed to him, may he attain everlasting life.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Octave of Easter

Christus resurrexit! Vere resurrexit!

A very happy and blessed Paschal Feast to all !

I have failed miserably to post here in the way that I would like to...perhaps when this semester ends I will be able to redouble my efforts. But I spend too much time on-line as it is. God, please help me to use my time more wisely !!!

I have become a huge fan of the New Advent news links page, which has a wealth of good stuff. It has introduced me to Monsignor Charles Pope, of the Archdiocese of Washington (D.C.). He is an outstanding writer who always has great things to say.

This article is on the chronology of the Resurrection appearances, a topic that has always interested me. It is reasoned out in a masterly way. He also has a very good video, which I could not import; instead, I offer this one of Mozart's Regina Caeli, some truly fitting music for the season.