II Class
At the beginning of the four seasons of the Ecclesiastical Year, the Ember Days have been instituted by the Church to thank God for blessings obtained during the past year and to implore further graces for the new season. They are intended, too, to consecrate to God the various seasons in nature, and to prepare by penance those who are about to be ordained. The faithful ought to pray on these days for good priests. The Ember Days were until c. 1960 fastdays of obligation.
Ss. Cosmas and Damian, Martyrs (III Class)
SS. Cosmas and Damian, two brothers, physicians, born at Egæa (Arabia), were beheaded after many cruel tortures in Cilicia, under Diocletian, by order of the prefect Lysias in 283.
Today was our first Saturday in Gaming. It was actually rather nice to have nothing to do on the weekend for once. We went to Divine Liturgy in the morning, had delicious big soft pretzels for lunch; I took a long nap (Maria didn't); then we walked down to the Kartause for some cake and ice cream in celebration of the birthday of two of the women here. Katie went out afterward to the Kartausenkeller to take part in their tasty home-brewed dunkel beer. I think she's enjoying herself here, but don't worry, she was home at a reasonable hour...
I finished reading last night a truly excellent book called Swords Around the Cross: The Nine Years War: Ireland's Defense of Faith and Fatherland 1594-1603 by Timothy O'Donnell.
This is the story that leads up to that epic event in Irish history called "The Flight of the Earls."
From the publisher: "One of the only full-length treatments of the heroic struggle of the Irish clansmen in their effort to defend their faith and country against English encroachment and conquest in the 16th century. This book has infuriated establishment academics for its honest and thorough treatment of the Irish past. In so doing, the image of a 'golden age' under Elizabeth I is dealt a serious blow."
2 comments:
Sounds like an excellent book. Who publishes it? I should like to read it myself. Imagine...the thought that history is perhaps not so accurately taught as we are led to believe! The Elizabethan "golden age" is always presented as indisputable fact. But...who would know better than the Irish as to the truth of such?
It's published by Christendom Press. The title is linked directly to it in the post.
You could always check Amazon, though.
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