Here He Is - Part 2

It's "Here He Is, Part 2, but - Alas! - I have no more pictures of Paul, nor of the girls, Maggie and Belle. As I said, I get caught up in the moment. He did better by me than I did by him with pictures. The post should rather be titled, St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square.

After we left the Palace Café on Sunday before last, the French Quarter beckoned. We headed in the direction of St. Louis Cathedral, not walking on Bourbon Street. One could imagine oneself in a European city or in the old part of town on an island in the Caribbean.

According to Wiki:

Saint Louis Cathedral (French: Cathédrale Saint-Louis), also known as the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, has the distiction of being the oldest continuously operating cathedral in the United States, first established in 1718, is the cathedral Basilica in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. It is located on the Place John Paul II (French: Place Jean-Paul II), a promenaded section of Chartres Street (rue de Chartres) that stretches one block between St. Peter Street (rue Saint-Pierre) on the upriver boundary and St. Ann Street (rue Sainte-Anne) on the downriver boundary.

I did not know that the street name had been changed to Place John-Paul II. Below are my pictures of the interior and exterior of the building.


MAIN ALTAR


MARY'S ALTAR

Paul and I crossed the street to Jackson Square and walked the circle. The girls loved it, but I did not think to take their picture. Paul has more pictures and better pictures at his blog, Byzigenous Buddhapalian.

 

It's a beautiful building. The much-favored angle from which to take a picture of the exterior is this view that includes the equestrian statue of Andy Jackson. Below is my favorite picture of the humans in this adventure, Pablito and me. It's stolen from Paul, who took it himself. We're really clattering our way downtown, but pretend it's our journey home. What a lovely day.

Yes! My Hero!

Email from Democrats.com:

History is in the making as I type: Rep. Dennis Kucinich is on the floor of the House reading 35 Articles of Impeachment against President George W. Bush.

At last!!!!!

We've waited years to find one Member of Congress brave enough to stand up for our Constitution, for which generations of Americans have fought and died. We are thrilled and honored that Dennis Kucinich has chosen to be that one genuine patriot.

We congratulate him on his historic leadership, and pledge to do everything in our power to persuade the House to adopt all 35 Articles and put George W. Bush on trial before the Senate of the United States, exactly as the Founding Fathers wanted.

We can be sure Kucinich will come under furious attack by the White House, the Republican Party, the Corporate Media, and even Bush Democrats. So let's inundate Congress with emails and calls (202-224-3121) showing our full support for Rep. Kucinich's Articles of Impeachment:

http://www.democrats.com/35-articles-of-impeachment

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your constant support throughout this long and historic struggle.

Bob Fertik

And The Winner Is....

"Streetcat Named Desire"

I know. No one suggested this one to pair with my other print, "Purr de Lis", but I thought I'd like the elegant cat and the somewhat disreputably titled "Steetcat named Desire" side by side. I thought seriously about "Marie Minou", with my reputation as a sorceress, and "The Purrfect Storm", but I remember Katrina and the federal flood enough already.

Thanks all for playing the game. Go ahead. Call me contrary.

Feast Day Of St.Columba

ABBOT OF IONA AND MISSIONARY (9 JUNE 597)


Iona Abbey

In the troubled and violent Dark Ages in Northern Europe, monasteries served as inns, orphanages, centers of learning, and even as fortresses. The light of civilization flickered dimly and might have gone out altogether if it had not been for these convent-shelters.

Columba, a stern and strong monk from Ireland, founded three such establishments. He founded the monasteries of Derry and Durrow in his native Ireland, and the island monastery of Iona on the coast of Scotland. Iona was the center of operations for the conversion of the Scots and Picts, and became the most famous religious house in Scotland. There Columba baptized Brude, King of the Picts, and later a King of the Scots came to this Abbot of the "Holy Isle" for baptism.
....

The memory of Columba lives on in Scotland, and Iona, though desecrated during the Reformation, today houses a flourishing ecumenical religious community.

From James Kiefer at the Lectionary.

Further information on the Iona Community may be found at the link under the picture of the abbey.

Readings:

Psalm 97:1-2,7-12 or 98:1-4
1 Corinthians 3:11-23
Luke 10:17-20

PRAYER

O God, who by the preaching of your blessed servant Columba caused the light of the Gospel to shine in Scotland: Grant, we pray, that, having his life and labors in remembrance, we may show our thankfulness to you by following the example of his zeal and patience; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Padre Mickey has a wonderful post on Columba which includes a biography and beautiful illustrations.

Happy Birthday, Les Paul! He's 93!

"Waiting For the Sunrise"

Wasn't Mary Ford wonderful, too? How 'bout that Listerine! Oh, my. I'm showing my age, aren't I?

Les, is having a long sunset.

"Of Course, I Could Be On Vacation" Is Back

MadPriest has run off again, this time without advance notice. Although we were caught by surprise, Of Course, I Could Be On Vacation is up and running. Go visit and leave a word. The link is at the top on my sidebar.

Recycled Thought For The Day

Faith is not certainty so much as it is acting-as-if, in great hope.

Fran at FranIAm posted the picture of the license plate which can be purchased in South Carolina. She seemed a little annoyed by it, bless her heart. I stole the picture from her blog and put it to use. Will "I Don't Believe" plates be next?

Anyway, you see my statement of faith above, which may be a little long for a license plate.

News From The Episcopal Diocese Of Albany

From the Times-Union:

The conservative-led Episcopal Diocese of Albany staked out a firm defense of traditional marriage on Saturday, a move that comes as gay unions have gained new ground in California and New York.

The hundreds of clergy and lay delegates who converged for their annual convention in this lakeside Adirondack community resoundingly approved a resolution that lays down this rule: Only heterosexual marriages can be celebrated in the diocese.
....

In a brief interview after convention business wrapped up, Albany Bishop William Love said the resolutions were "not intended to be divisive."

"The main reasons the resolutions were presented were to provide clarity during a time of great confusion both within the church and society at large," Love said.

"The important thing that everyone needs to know is that God loves all people, regardless of where they might be in their life. That doesn't necessarily mean he approves of all of our behaviors."

You're right about that, Bishop Love. I doubt that God approves of launching unjust wars and killing hundreds of thousands of people, torture, disregard for the poor, despoiling the fragile planet, and other behaviors that do actual harm to others, behaviors that violate Jesus' commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Fr. Brad Jones, rector of Christ Church in Schenectady, said that he was "formerly consumed by homosexual desires", but he is now married and the father of seven children. "If the Episcopal Church had proclaimed to me then that God would bless my lustful passions and desires, I would likely not be standing here alive today," said Jones. "I would certainly be dead in my sins."

But for the saving love-in-action of Jesus, we would all be dead in our sins. And another thing: why is the stereotype of gays "consumed by homosexual desires" so widespread? Where are the studies that show gay men focused on sex more than straight folks or lesbians? I haven't seen any. They go about their business of living their lives, working at their jobs, taking care of their homes, and caring for their children just like the rest of us. That gay men have sex on their minds 24/7 is simply not the reality.

The passing of this resolution really doesn't change anything in the diocese, because only heterosexual marriages are celebrated at the present time. Although Bishop Love says the intention in passing the resolution was not to be divisive, the end result will be just that.

I'd like to see the churches get out of the marriage business altogether. Leave it to the civil authorities. Then, after a period of discernment, the couple may ask for the blessing of their Christian community.

"Purr De Lis"

My Mother's Day present from my daughter was a signed and numbered copy of the print pictured above. Isn't it a wonderful? How much more New Orleans could you cram into one picture? I love it, love it, love it. Here's the link to the web site of The Creole Cat. The titles of the pictures are, you know, like, totally cute and clever, aren't they?

Thank you, daughter, A. The gift is much admired and appreciated.

I may buy another to have a pair to hang side by side. If you visit the website, please recommend which of the others you'd choose.

Jindal's Appointments in Jeopardy

From the Advocate:

Every appointment that Gov. Bobby Jindal has made since he took office in January is in jeopardy because he has not forwarded their names for Senate confirmation.

The appointments by Jindal for 437 jobs — including his top aides — will no longer be valid and they will have to stop working as of June 23, when the legislative session adjourns, according to the state law governing the confirmation process.

That's our Rhodes scholar governor for you. People say he is smart, a whiz. Show me, guvna.

Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman state Sen. Bob Kostelka, R-Monroe, asked Jimmy Faircloth, the governor’s executive counsel, Wednesday to send the official list.

As of 5 p.m. Friday, the list still had not arrived.

The Senate cannot confirm Jindal’s appointees until the list arrives, Kostelka said.
....

The panel conducts background checks on the appointees to make sure there are no criminal, tax or other problems in their personal histories. In addition, the names are circulated among senators to see if the senators have a problem with any of the appointees. Senators can blackball an appointee.

Jindal did not respond to four requests for an interview placed through his press secretary, Melissa Sellers.

Is there a plan here? Does the Jindal administration know something that the chairman of the committee doesn't know? Will he send the whole list at the last minute in the hope that the committee will rush the appointees through? Many questions, few answers. And Melissa Sellers is no help at all. Circle the wagons, and hunker down is the order of the day, every day. It appears that the defensive posture is not only for the press, but for the Senate, too. What if a humble citizen wanted information? One can only imagine the horror with which that would be viewed within the administration.