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A long time ago, some folks were — apparently — living happily in the Rhône River Valley. Whether or not they were happy there, we've found evidence that they stayed near what we call the Grotte Mandrin for 50,000 years. And that they somehow managed to keep newcomers from disturbing their solitude: and isolation. Idyllic as that may seem, keeping themselves free from what my culture called miscegenation may explain why Neanderthals aren't part of today's world. Not as identifiable individuals, at any rate. Neanderthals: Finding a New Page From Their Story Recognizing the Homo Neanderthalensis Type Specimen: Eventually The Vanished Neanderthals: Still an Enigma Living Happily in the Middle Rhône River Valley Many Questions, Still Finding Answers Point, Counterpoint, Neanderthals, the Campbells, and Me European, Yes; Biased, Yes; "Anglo-Teutonic", No Familiarity, Forensic Reconstructions, and Another Piece of the Puzzle Muscles, Mammals, and Much...

The Harvest Auguste-Xavier Leprince [ Web Gallery of Art ] Behold, the wages of the labourers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts  (James 5:4; Second Reading). Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland)   Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48   (English Standard Version Anglicised: India) John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your  name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.”   But Jesus said,  “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterwards to speak evil of me.   For the one who is not against us is for us.   For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because y...

Lala  with Jordan who died last November I try to mark Lala's birthday every year. Fewer and fewer persons with Down Syndrome  are being born in European countries.  This is because more and more children with Down Syndrome are being aborted. Below, with some minor changes, is what I posted last year and the year before. +++ I first wrote this post in October 2008 and used it again in 2011 under the title  Lala and Queen Elizabeth II . I have re-posted it a number of times, with variations, because Lala's story is one that should be told over and over again.  This year I am re-posting what I posted the last two years and also five years ago, with a couple of updates on ages. As I post this it is already  Lala's birthday in the Philippines, 27 September, the feast of St Vincent de Paul. No doubt, the occasion will be marked at  Punla, Ang Arko, where Lala lives, the only  L'Arche community  in the Philippines, in Cainta, Rizal, part of the met...

Another election is looming, so I'm reviewing how being a Catholic affects how I vote. I'll mention what the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) calls the "Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching", share some links, and talk about something Pope Francis said. Along with, as usual, whatever else comes to mind. Citizenship and the Common Good Love and Good Ideas Being a Catholic Citizen Political Venom: It's Not New Malevolent Memes of Yesteryear Principles, Priorities — and Prohibition, a Personal View Remembering Prohibition: High Ideals and Speakeasies Pope Francis and Our Choices Doing His Job — and Doing Mine There ARE Bright Sides The End of Civilization as We Know It — As Usual More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Being Catholic and voting. Catholic social teaching: 7 themes. Love and neighbors. The common good. Political cartoons, Prohibition. What Pope Francis said.)

First Steps (after Millet) Vincent van Gogh [ Web Gallery of Art ] Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever  receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.  (Mark 30:37; today's gospel). Readings  (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Mark 9:30-37   (English Standard Version Anglicised: India) Jesus and his disciples went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know,   for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them,  “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.”   But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him. And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them,  “What were you discussing on the way?”   But t...

  Today is a beautiful day in the Church - Feast of the Exultation of the Holy Cross. I have a wonderful video for those of you who have ever wondered what happened to the actual cross of Christ. It is very short, but very informative. I hope you enjoy it. It can be found at:  https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video/2024-09-14-reflection-638 I have also embedded it in my blog at janetcassidy.com Janet Cassidy Email me at:  jmctm2@gmail.com janetcassidy.com https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsinfaith/ https://www.youtube.com/@janetcassidy

Last Sunday's Gospel reading was about Jesus healing a man who couldn't hear or speak. 1 So that's what Fr. Greg talked about: along with how it ties in how we're living today. A tip of the hat to Fr. Greg, for letting me make a transcript of his homily: Healing the Deaf Mute of Decapolis (1) One-On-One Healing (2) Touching His Ears (3) "Unusual to Us" — Jesus Spits (4) A Second Touch (5) Jesus Looks Up to Heaven (6) He Groans (7) Ephphatha! The Purpose of the Messiah Sidon, the Decapolis, and a World of Gentiles Deafness as a Cultural Preference Babies, Birth Rates, Families: and Statistics The Greatest Blessings on Earth Valuing Children Looking Ahead Planning Ahead, and Praying Video: Gospel Reading and Homily at St. Paul's, Sauk Centre, MN; September 8, 2024 More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (A guest post by Fr. Greg Paffel: showing how healing the deaf mute of Decapolis applies to how we should live today. Valuing...

  Mocking of Christ Titian [ Web Gallery of Art ] And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again  (Mark 8: 31; Gospel).   Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Mark 8:27-35   (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples,  “Who do people say that I am?”   And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”   And he asked them,  “But who do you say that I am?”  Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.”   And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him. And he began to tea...

  The natural way for a human being to be created is by love, between a husband and a wife, as God intended. But there are times, as we all know, that a human is created through violence, casual recreation or in situations where they are not wanted and are considered an inconvenience. None of these circumstances, of course, changes the reality that a living human being has been created. And in none of these situations can it be said that the baby bears any "fault" for coming into existence. Even if you don't believe in God, these are things on which I think we can all agree. And if you are a science person, again, there is no argument about these. What doesn't make sense is that a tiny new life can be snuffed out--intentionally. Yes, it's true, in our country, the United States of America, you get to live as long as someone else thinks you should. And if they don't think you should . . . well you know how that goes. Let's not get bogged down i...

  I wasn't able to attend the funeral of Fr. James Swiat, our former pastor, who passed away July 21, 2024 (maybe you knew him?), so I contacted the church from which he was buried to see if his funeral was still available to watch online. It is. The following words, in part, spoken as sort of an introduction at his funeral really summed up for me something beautiful: "We gather to grieve, because we are human. To rejoice because we are Christian. To give thanks because we shared in the life of Fr. Jim." I think these words touched me because it can be a temptation to try to suppress grief, especially for people of faith who like to focus on the heavenly banquet at which our loved one is now (hopefully) seated. However, just because we look forward to the joy of eternal life, does not mean that grief doesn't have its rightful place in the experience of loss. I think the three-fold summary of grieving, rejoicing and thanksgiving are a proper perspective fo...

Mark 7:31-37 in Filipino Sign Language Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel  Mark 7:31-37   (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    Then Jesus returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis.   And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him.   And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue.   And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him,  “Ephphatha”,  that is,  “Be opened.”   And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.   And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zeal...

Last week, I said I'd have "...tales of cursed gems, glow-in-the-dark diamonds, diamonds from outer space..." ready this week: "barring the unexpected". Then the unexpected happened. But I do have most of the Koh-i-Noor's story ready for you. I pieced together much that diamond's story this week: from the "mythical" king of a place that's not there any more, to present-day England: Koh-i-Noor: Diamond of Destiny, Slayer of Sultans and Shahs "The Diamond Does Not Satisfy" Doom of Afrasiab Emperors, Sultans, Shahs: and the Koh-i-Noor Gets Its Name The Body Count Grows In the Shadow of the Koh-i-Noor "...More Things in Heaven and Earth...." Superstition, Seances, and "Supernatural" More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (The story of the Koh-i-Noor: an allegedly-cursed diamond owned by Afrasiab of Turan, assorted sultans and emperors, and finally Queen Victoria of England.)

      The other day I wrote about offering up our suffering for others. You need to be a bit self-recollected to do that. Today I want to talk about offering up our day--of which suffering may be a part--to God. This also requires being personally recollected. Every moment of every day God is present to us, and while our being constantly hyper-aware may be next to impossible, with God's help, we can re-train our thoughts on him so that he can do his work in us. We do this, albeit imperfectly, because we love him, and for no other reason. This is not about control, but about freedom. This is about offering ourselves back to God who created us. We need to be listening. He is our focus. Embracing this spiritual, supernatural way of living isn't merely cooperating with God. It is an in-the-moment way of being. Being more attentive to God's presence should bring us peace. If it makes us scrupulous or anxious, our intentions are misplaced and we need to ask God for dire...

I am not "political". I won't try convincing you that [party A] or [politico A] is to blame for everything you don't like — while [party B] or [politico B] will solve all your problems. But now and then I talk about something with a political angle: like the ongoing mess in the Middle East. And I'll admit to a bias.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (A brief, for me, response to news that six more hostages held by Hamas are dead: including Hersh Goldberg-Polin.)

Pray for healing; welcome suffering. When we do this, we follow Jesus in the Agony in the Garden , when he said, " if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will." (healing/willingness/obedience.) When we receive the Eucharist at Mass (the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus), we consume--we take in--Jesus himself. Naturally, we do not become little gods, but uniquely, our humanity is transformed by his divinity within.  The Eucharist gives us the strength to join Jesus in the Garden, on the road of his Passion, and to his death on the cross, knowing as we do now, the resurrection that follows. As followers of Jesus, suffering is part of our experience, and we must share in that as well, and likewise, our own suffering can be offered for others.  While we do not bring salvation through our suffering like he did, it doesn't mean our suffering isn't redemptive. The suffering of Jesus saved us; we offer our suffering to Go...

I take commercial puffery with a grain of salt, but that 2,492 carat diamond from the Karowe mine does seem "epic". It's also what I'll be talking about this week: along with the Karowe mine, Botswana, what diamonds are and where they come from, and why I see Botswana's recent history as a success story. Of sorts. One-Pound Diamond: and a Quick Look at Botswana Comparing and Contrasting: Botswana and the United States Wealth, Fertility Rates, Statistics — — "Democracy", and Dan Backslide Diamonds Graphite and Diamond: Same Element, Different Crystal Form Formed in the Depths, Rushed to the Surface On the Shores of Arkansas To Be Continued Congo Chaos and Lebensraum for Mountain Gorillas Blood Diamonds, Mountain Gorillas: and Working With What We've Got More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Diamonds and how they are formed, comparing and contrasting Botswana and the United States. Blood diamonds, gorillas, and working w...

Moses Carlo Dolci [ Web Gallery of Art ] Moses said to the people:  “And now, O Israel, listen to  the statutes and the rules  that I am teaching you, and do them,  that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the  Lord , the God of your fathers, is giving you."  [First Reading]. Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel  Mark 7:1-8, 14-15; 21-23  (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    Now when the Pharisees gathered to Jesus, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem,   they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed.   (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash [ a ]  their hands, holding to the tradition of the elders,   and when they come from the market-place, they do not e...

I ran across remarks made by a Utah politician earlier today. [Wednesday, August 28, 2024] This isn't the source I stumbled on, but it’s the one I could find when I tried searching for it, later.... (a little) more at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Quoting Spencer Cox on responses to the Pulse Nightclub mass murder, sharing my experience as someone off the 50th percentile, and loving neighbors anyway.)

This isn't what I’ll be talking about this week, but today's (August 27, 2024) planned commercial test flight is — my opinion — a big deal. More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (A very quick overview of a commercial human spaceflight mission, an excerpt from the news, and an embedded video which may provide live coverage.)

A paper published this month doesn't so much tell us what's inside a neutron star, as show what's not inside. Considering how little we know about these immensely-dense stellar objects, that's a significant step toward understanding the things. I'll take a look at that, but mostly I'll be talking about what we've been learning, and why I think paying attention to this wonder-packed universe is a good idea. Even if — maybe because — this Haldane quote, written a few years before we knew about neutron stars, still reflects how God's universe has been surprising us. "Now, my own suspicion is that the universe is not only queerer than we suppose, but queerer than we can suppose…." (" Possible Worlds and Other Essays ", p. 286, J. B. S. Haldane (1927) via Wikiquote) Squishy (?) Stars, Strange States of Matter Supernova! Neutron Stars: Gravity, Math, and Weirdness "...Astronomers Still Don't Know...." New Vi...