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Scientists in Sweden, taking part in 2019's BEAST program that used SPHERE on the VLT discovered an 'it might be an exoplanet.' In 2021, they got confirmation. They'd spotted an exoplanet. And SPHERE on the VLT 1 has an picture of the newly-discovered world. I'd planned on talking about BEAST, SPHERE, VLT; comparing ground-based and space observatories; and whatever else came to mind. Then, on Tuesday, I started running a fever. It was of the 'nothing serious' variety, but quite enough to slow me down. After that, the household got a brief visit from number-two daughter, son-in law and granddaughter: a happy occasion. Which also didn't help me do what I'd planned. So I trimmed my plans back to what was possible, and this is the result. b Centauri(AB)b, AKA HD 129116 b: Big Bright Stars and a Big Mystery Planet (From ESO, used w/o permission.) (Binary star HD 129116 and HD 129116 b, its huge exoplanet.)... More at A Catholic Citizen in

Visitation Luca della Robbio [ Web Gallery of Art ]   Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, [England & Wales], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Luke 1:39-45  (English Standard Version Anglicised: India) In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah,   and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.   And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,   and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!     And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?   For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.   And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” Léachtaí i nGaeilge The Visitation El Greco [ Web Ga

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(From Thomas Cole, via Museum of Fine Arts, Boston & Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.) ("Expulsion from the Garden of Eden," Thomas Cole. (1828)) We celebrated the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary this Wednesday. It's a big deal — a Holy Day of Obligation — because Mary is our Lord's mother. And because Mary is the only one of us born without original sin. Original sin is not the notion that humans are utterly depraved, bad to the core. We're still "very good" and made "in the image of God." More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

St John the Baptist with Saints Cima da Conegliano [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, [England & Wales], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel  Luke 3:10-18  (English Standard Version Anglicised: India) The crowds asked John, “What then shall we do?”   And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”   Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”   And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.”   Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.” As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ,   John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water,

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It has been nearly a month since I have updated my blog and I greatly appreciate your patience.  I still have lots of thoughts to share with you, I just haven't done so!  My apologies. Advent, the season we are in, is such a beautiful time in the Church year, I didn't want to let it slip by without writing.  The challenging thing about Advent (the four weeks leading up to the celebration of the birth of Christ--Christmas) is that it falls right smack in the middle of one of the busiest shopping seasons of the year!   So many distractions! Truth be told, the pre-Christmas shopping frenzy rose up around the misguided notion that Christmas is all about gift-giving.  The bigger the better.  The more, the more amazing.  The perfect gift, the greatest show of our love for another. None of that is true.  I have never found the perfect gift that expresses the totality of my love.  My guess is you won't either, unless you look to Christ himself.  Jesus is the bigger, mor

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It's that time of year. Daily reminders of how many shopping days remain before Christmas fill some with dread, others with relief. Folks enjoy, endure or try to ignore another season of "Jingle Bells," "Santa Baby" and "Frosty the Snowman." Some of my neighbors have deployed their Christmas displays. So have we, thanks to my son. It's part of our Advent preparations. We're getting ready for Christmas, looking back at the first time Jesus came; and ahead to when our Lord returns. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

  Linaioli Tabernacle, St John the Baptist Blessed Fra Angelico [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, [England & Wales], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Luke 3:1-6  (English Standard Version Anglicised: India) In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,   during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.   And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.   As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,      make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled,      and eve

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Americans celebrated Thanksgiving this week. Well, most Americans. Some folks in New England lamented injustices committed over the last few centuries.... ...And, although those who weren't killed during a parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, may enjoy not being dead, my guess is that none of them feel giddy with thanks.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America : first Thanksgivings: Plymouth Puritans, Virginia and two Spanish events. My health issues, COVID-19 in Minnesota and the Macy Thanksgiving Day parade.

Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee Rembrandt [ Web Gallery of Art ] . And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves . . .  (Luke 21:25; today’s gospel). We begin Year C, which highlights St Luke's Gospel Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, [England & Wales], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Luke 21:25-28, 34-36  (English Standard Version Anglicised: India) Jesus said to his disciples: “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves,   people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.   And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.   Now when these things begin to take place, straighten u

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  SPEAKING IN TONGUES What is it? Do you speak in tongues? Read more HERE

I enjoy reading. Some folks don't. I have no idea what fraction of readers boast of their bookish practices. Or how many non-readers argue that reading is a waste of time. Apart, perhaps, from their occasional dip into a how-2 article. Since there's little tumult and shouting on the reader/non-reader front, it's probably not among today's major issues.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America : A brief look at readers: avid, picky and practical. Fiction, ethics and making sense. Fashionable melancholy, the Great Commission and why I write.

  From  The Gospel of John  (2003)  Directed by Philip Saville.  [John 18:33-37, today's Gospel] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, [England & Wales], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   John 18:33-37  (English Standard Version Anglicised: India) Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?”     Jesus answered,  “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?”   Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?”   Jesus answered,  “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”   Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered,  “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the t

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I started writing about stars, names, designations and how we got to a point where Sirius is also known as BD-16°1591, ADS 5423 and GJ 244. That started me thinking about telescopes, Galileo, Aristotle and Dante.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

  St Michael in Victory Murillo [ Wikimedia Commons ] At that time shall arise  Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time  (Daniel 12:1. First Reading).  Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, [England & Wales], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Mark 13:24-32  (English Standard Version Anglicised: India) Jesus said to his disciples: “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light,   and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.   And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.   And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becom

    Have I mentioned this before? I was on my way to visit one of our daughters at her new job and I missed the road sign where I was supposed to turn.  This happened because I was expecting a different kind of road.  I thought it would be a busy, four lane road when it was actually a quiet, two-lane road. It seems like this is how life works.  We imagine something to be a certain way, and when it doesn't look like what we expected, we miss it altogether. This is true with religion as well. So many imagine Church to be an institution beset by cold demands, where freedom is lost, when in reality it is a place of many encounters with the living Christ.  It is a place where we find friendship and true freedom, as well as salvation! Keep this in mind if you have had the sense that something is missing in your life, but you have been avoiding the community life of a Church because of what you imagine it to be. Sometimes you have to make that "right" turn to disco

If you haven't already, you'll soon read about a new development in the war between science and religion. " How Covid Raised the Stakes of the War Between Faith and Science " Tish Harrison Warren, The New York Times (November 7, 2021) " Reviews | How Covid raised the stakes in the war between faith and science " newsnetdaily.com (November 7, 2021) Alleged war, at any rate. I can't read the original piece in The New York Times, since it's behind a paywall.... ...I did, however, find this snippet in an online blurb.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

  In the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 17, Verse 5, the apostles ask Jesus to increase their faith.  What is the measure of your faith?  Do you have just a smidge of faith, or a lot?  Interestingly, Jesus seems to imply that it doesn't matter.   You see, just a morsel of faith is incredibly powerful.  In his words, he tells the apostles, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to [this] mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you." I checked out mulberry trees.  They don't actually have ears, so they cannot hear you tell them to move.  Neither do they have the ability to move themselves, so what gives? Oh I'm just kidding.  Well, not really.  They don't have ears nor the ability to move themselves. But seriously, mulberry trees shoot up quickly and have a few different varieties.  They reach maturity in about ten years.  Truthfully, their roots can be so aggressive that they can even lift up sidew

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