Braveheart/Newhart Open Thread
Donald R. McClarey
Cradle Catholic. Active in the pro-life movement since 1973. Father of three, one in Heaven, and happily married for 41 years. Small town lawyer and amateur historian. Former president of the board of directors of the local crisis pregnancy center for a decade.
I prayed for an open thread for about six weeks. I have forgotten why. Pray to Saint Anthony to find my piece.
Something slipping the forefront of the mind is understandable after six weeks of an eventful deluge, rather than one thing after another. This situation reminds me of part of a Tuesday Novena to St. Anthony.
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“The sea obeys, and fetters break, and lifeless limbs you do restore – While treasures lost are found again, when young and old your aid implore.”
From “Youth”, a short story, by Joseph Conrad: “I remember my youth and the feeling that will never come back anymore – the feeling that I could last forever, outlast the sea, the earth, and all men; the deceitful feeling that lures us on to joys, to perils, to love, to vain effort – to death; the triumphant conviction of strength, the heat of life in the handful of dust, the glow in the heart that with every year grows dim, grows cold, grows small, and expires – and expires, too soon, too soon – before life itself.”
Do you guys here at American Catholic ever face criticism from Mark Shea?
Seems like he takes hard aim at Catholics who are conservative.
“Do you guys here at American Catholic ever face criticism from Mark Shea?”
Who?
Mary, by God’s grace may you find your piece and post it. Amen
T. Shaw, I am no longer as easily lured on to vain effort as I used to be in my youth, but I’m too stubborn to let the glow in my heart expire. Or perhaps that is my last vain effort. 🙂
I should have just used the search function.
I see his name has come up a few times in posts here.
hey, ever think about changing the layout of your article postings? They’re kind of hard to follow at times.
“Do you guys here at American Catholic ever face criticism from Mark Shea?” “Who?”
I love it.
This is not yet it but one anyway.
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September 17 is Constitution Day.
The Constitution of the United States
Preamble
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
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Every citizen ought to know the purpose and intent of our Constitution by heart.
“The sea obeys, and fetters break, and lifeless limbs you do restore – While treasures lost are found again, when young and old your aid implore.”
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Thank you, Pat.
HOPE AND CHANGE. US median income at $51,939, inflation adjusted, still 8% below the pre-recession measure.
Tamsin: Thank you. I am afraid that I need a larger brain. It is called “dumping”. Ten years from now I will be driving down the road and my piece will return on its own. I must say that whenever that happens though, the piece gets better and grows of its own accord. So, I am looking forward to learn what has hatched. It was of a religious nature.
Tamsin,
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I think Conrad was younger (than us) when he penned that.
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And, you have to grow old. You don’t have to grow up.
I wonder Don – does the parody on Braveheart have anything to do with the referendum in Scotland that is happening now?
Interesting how it will go. It wouldn’t surprise me if they do split with the UK – then the cat will be among the pigeons – and perhaps the lunatics in charge of the asylum.Time to crack out the popcorn.
We have a general election on Saturday. I expect the incumbent government to be returned, probably with an increased majority. Their economic management has been nothing short of spectacular. Our Minister of Finance – a staunch Catholic – has maintained a reasoned welfare system to support the needy and unemployed: despite the recession and continued welfare payments, unemployment has dropped to 5.9% ( I think) from around 8% in the recession, our economy will return to surplus this year, and the Debt to GDP ration – now 30% – is predicted to fall below 25% in three years, and 20% three years later.
Provided the incumbents are returned, we here down-under can expect to increase our prosperity.
Meanwhile, our mates across the Ditch ( Tasman Sea – the Aussies) are going into recession, with their mineral exports tanking and unemployment on the rise.
Summers on its way – break out the BBQ’s and beer. 🙂
“I wonder Don – does the parody on Braveheart have anything to do with the referendum in Scotland that is happening now?”
Yep. I have a deep admiration for the battle of the Scots over the centuries to maintain independence from England. The current resurgent Scottish nationalism however strikes me as resembling that struggle just as much as Newhart’s brilliant parody resembles Mel Gibson’s ahistorical paean to William Wallace and the Scots who bled with him.
“and perhaps the lunatics in charge of the asylum.Time to crack out the popcorn.”
Precisely my sentiments. Rough on the people in Scotland who vote no, but I suspect if Scottish independence is obtained that the road south will have many Scots on it, at least until the Scottish regime builds a new Hadrian’s Wall in reverse.
“Their economic management has been nothing short of spectacular.”
Viewing from afar, I have been impressed also Don.