ROME 23/05 – Day 04: Monnica and Martyrs and Missouri (a sweet new book for girls about Benedictine Nuns)

Today the Ave Maria Bell ring time has moved into a new stage of its cycles, now scheduled – and ignored – at 2-:30.

The Roman sunrise was 06:01. The Roman sunset will be at 20:14.

Welcome new registrant:

deaconchuck

It is the traditional Feast of St. Monnica (the more Punic spelling, or regular Monica), mother of St. Augustine of Hippo. She died in Ostia where she took ill on the way back to N. Africa with her family and friends. As she lay dying in Ostia, Monnica told Augustine (conf. 9):

“Lay this body anywhere, let not the care for it trouble you at all. This only I ask, that you will remember me at the Lord’s altar, wherever you be.”

Could I ask the same of you when you hear about me?

She was buried there in Ostia. Her body was later moved to the Church of St. Augustine in Rome across the street from where I lived for many years.

There’s a great deal to say about this remarkable women.

Did you know that Monnica was the first woman to have an active role in an ancient philosophical dialogue? Indeed, Augustine includes her pivotal remarks in the dialogues before his baptism, because she was the baptized person there!

I’ll remind you of a newish book on Augustine:

REVIEW: The book on Augustine which Pope Benedict would have wanted to write.

Also, if you want a really interesting, different, book on the Doctor of Grace, check out Serge Lancel‘s volume.

It is also the Feast of the Martyrs of England and Wales.  I think there are some 280+ beatified and canonized martyrs from those horrible years of Protestant hatred and ferocious persecution.

Right now, as I write, I am looking beyond my monitor to the bell tower of the Venerable English College, where many of the priest martyrs studied before returning to England and glory.

That might not be a cheerful bit of new, more sobering than cheerful.  This is always cheery.  I posted the dear rondini the other day and I’m posting them again because I like them.  They always lift my spirits, and they need lifting.

Last night I saw a documentary of sorts about USS Gerald R. Ford which is finally out and about.  A buddy of mine was chaplain on her during the shakedown.   When they were talking about things the crew did for entertainment….

It reminds me something another military friend passed on some years ago, a soda can cozy with “Navy Chess: Anytime – Anywhere – Anyone” on it.   I tried in vain to find the organizers, though – if memory serves – there was an old brochure for recruiting new team members for tournaments.  Anyway, I tweaked the design a little and made a one-off mug for myself in my Cafepress store.  I turned that shop “on” for public view … temporarily.

Interested in learning? This guy helped my game.  Try THIS.

Here’s another thing that make me happy.

Thank you flower donors!  You brighten my days.

These make me happy, too.

Radicchio

a) from Earth and

b) from the recently, perhaps not quite successfully terraformed, Exomoon LV-426.

NEWS:

The wonderful Benedictine nuns of Gower Abbey, who have the great music albums, have a book for girls about the religious life they live.

The story is about a postulant being introduced to all the aspects of life of the nuns at the Abbey. It is very sweet. I am reminded of one of my favorite books Little Saint Placid.

Brides of Christ.

US HERE – UK HERE (not yet)

The text is in poetry, good for reading aloud to a little girl, I should think.

Last night for supper I had some chicken and fries and sauteed peppers.

The “bed” for the spatchcocked galletto, sure to make some good juice for the fries and peppers.

 

Okay, a few of them got a little doner than others. I got distracted.

I stuffed some celery that needed using around the galletto. It all worked.  Cramped space.

And the result.

I have some leftovers, too.

Here’s a puzzle.

Black to move.  May the force be with you.

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.