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Patron for vampire hunters
I know that Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati is beloved of hikers and skiers, but this new icon at a parish in England leads me to think he could be a patron also of vampire hunters.
Someday I tell you about the super-secret Vatican Vampire Assassins…. but not today.
In the meantime, you might say a prayer to Bl. Pier Giorgio for both the National Catholic Reporter and The Tablet (aka RU-486). They have both taken a hike far afield from the road the Church as indicated and they are sucking the life’s blood out of the faithful.
And to think that I thought only members of the Romanian Greek Catholic Church sui juris could be vampyre hunters! This inspires me to pursue a new avocation!
Comment by wchoag — 14 November 2009 @ 3:01 pmI thought the church frowned upon secret societies. Or is that only super-double-secret ones?
Comment by Nan — 14 November 2009 @ 3:02 pmI wonder why they decided to give him mini skis instead of normal sized ones in the background or something. Kind of reminds me of St. Pascal Baylon who is honored by Venezuelans as the patron saint of dancing because his last name sounds like the word for dancing. I’ve actually seen miniature dancing shoes left by his statue.
Comment by MargaretMN — 14 November 2009 @ 3:28 pmSt. Pascal Baylon (Pascual Bailón) really danced!
Comment by Diego F. C. — 14 November 2009 @ 4:09 pmIn this case Pier Giorgio would be the paron of my compatriot Manu Ginóbili.
Comment by Diego F. C. — 14 November 2009 @ 4:12 pm”And to think that I thought only members of the Romanian Greek Catholic Church sui juris could be vampyre hunters! This inspires me to pursue a new avocation
I go to one of their Churches!
Comment by Timbot2000 — 14 November 2009 @ 4:37 pmSt. George, Aurora IL.
You should pay us a visit there Fr. You would be warmy welcomed there! Our Pastor Fr. Fred Peterson OSB, like you is a Lutheran convert, and very much a “brick by brick” guy, who along with Bishop John Michael Botean, are re-establishing authentic Byzantine practices in what was once a very Romaized community!
Like you, Fr. Peterson is known for his voice. Imagine Roy Orbison doing Byzantine chant!
super-secret Vatican Vampire Assassins
I saw one the other day, sharing a banana with one of the sacred monkeys.
Comment by dcs — 14 November 2009 @ 4:48 pmHahaha! That just made my day!I can see the headlines now…”Church promotes Blessed to combat popularity of the Twilight series”
Comment by seanl — 14 November 2009 @ 4:54 pmAs Blessed Pier Giorgio sounds like an Italian, I wonder what his connection was with this church in England. Does anyone know where in England it is?
Comment by pelerin — 14 November 2009 @ 6:09 pmKidding aside, he’s holding a pair of skis with black old style bindings. The artist could have posed them slightly differently, but until I can paint that well, I’ll withhold criticism.
There is a good Frassati fellowship in NYC that sponsors a number of good activities. I imagine there is one in England as well.
Comment by Rob Cartusciello — 14 November 2009 @ 6:15 pmThe Vatican’s Vampire Hunter would be Hugh Jackman as Van Helsing, Fr. Z.
Comment by thefeds — 14 November 2009 @ 6:56 pmHey, Father, Have you ever read any of Wm. Biersach books? ‘The Endless Knot,’The Darkness Did Not’,’Out Of The Depths’, ‘The Search For St. Valeria’,’While The Eyes Of The Great Are Elsewhere’,really fun reading, from http://www.tumblarhouse.com
Comment by ssoldie — 14 November 2009 @ 7:00 pmAs ssoldie said above, that’s exactly what I was thinking when I read your intro. I just recently finished “The Darkness Did Not” and was somewhat disturbed to think that there was such a thing that some priests in the world were aware of. Does that explain the general bad air over L.A. ?
Comment by lucy — 14 November 2009 @ 8:08 pmsuper-secret Vatican Vampire Assassins
You really have me intriqued. I will be watching everyday for this great story.
Comment by Kimberly — 14 November 2009 @ 8:18 pmFather Z
Do you believe in ghosts?
m
Comment by iudicame — 14 November 2009 @ 8:35 pmKimberly
Screenplay – OPENING SHOT: Dawn. A northern state, snow on the ground. Cam shot of a hand (pinkie ring) on a steering wheel, plastic Jesus on the dash, cracked windshield. Cam shot from the ground as a late 70s sedan skids to a halt. Door opens and we see a foot emerge – shod in rubber wellies – -the hem of a black cassock rides on the top edge of the boot (like Andy Griffith used to wear them). Pan up to a neon Krispie Kream sign…
m
Comment by iudicame — 14 November 2009 @ 8:43 pmThanks Fr Z for the chuckle. I say this as my wide reads one of the Twilight books.
Speaking of Bl Pier Giorgio, I know it has probably been said by many young people, but this has to be one of my favourite “almost saints”. He was a normal person who also happened to live the Gospel (or did he live the gospel and happen to be a normal person?)! Normal in the sense that he didn’t spend his days in perpetual adoration, was not a cleric, and wasn’t one of the mystical stigmatics. I’ve even unofficially dedicated my fledgling blog to him.
On a very side note: (and if anyone including Fr Z could point me in the right direction)Does anyone know why I seem to be unable to change the information in my profile for this blog? The link from my account is broken and no longer goes to my blog.
Comment by Trevor Sliwkanich — 14 November 2009 @ 10:45 pmI wonder if Buffy is a part of that super secret society… But if it’s super-secret, should we be blogging about it? SHHHH!
Comment by Agnes — 14 November 2009 @ 11:25 pmMargaretMN: I don’t think they’re miniature. Only the tops of the skis are shown. At the bottom you can see part of the old-fashioned bindings, which would be in about the middle of each ski. When I first learned, about 35 years ago, I had that kind of binding.
Comment by FranzJosf — 15 November 2009 @ 11:19 amOf Blessed Pier- Giorgio Frasati, I have a very good book by Robert Claude,S.J. on the life of Blessed Pier, He possessed in eminent degree what Newman described as “the gift of sympathy”.
Comment by ssoldie — 15 November 2009 @ 8:10 pmOh no! Do not let the Ruthenian Catholic or Orthodox see this! God only knows whose graves they will dig up! There are canons in the Eastern Church about these vampire hunters!
Comment by Subdeacon Joseph — 15 November 2009 @ 10:19 pmLOL
Comment by lacrossecath — 16 November 2009 @ 11:07 am