The Face of Christ by Claude Mellan

THis is an amazing engraving of Christ based on the story of the Sudarium of the Veronica.
Veronica , filled with compassion for the suffering of Jesus on the road to Calvary, wiped his sweating face with a cloth. An image of his features was miraculously transferred to the fabric. Mellan (1598-1688) has achieved something like a miracle of a different sort. In a single line and starting from the tip of Jesus' nose, Mellan has engraved the entire face, the folded veil, and the lettering below. The modulations in direction, from thick to thin, model the image in chiaroscuro (light and dark). Thus the shapes and volume of the engraving are achieved.
Mellan studied engraving for five years in Paris before travelling to Rome in 1624. He remained in Rome for twelve years, refining the Italian engraving style he found in the work of Francesco Villamena and Agostino Carracci. He learned to dispense with cross-hatching and model forms just by controlling the swelling and tapering of his lines.

How Old is your Church?

THIS IS A MOST INTERESTING QUESTION!!!

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WILL ASTOUND MANY OF YOU!

If you are a LUTHERAN, your religion was founded by Martin Luther, an ex-monk of the Catholic Church, IN THE YEAR 1517.

If you belong to the CHURCH OF ENGLAND, your religion was founded by King Henry VIII IN THE YEAR 1534, because the Pope would not grant him a divorce with the right to re-marry.

If you are a PRESBYTERIAN, your religion was founded by John Knox in Scotland
IN THE YEAR 1560.

If you are a member of the CONGREGATIONALIST, your religion was originated by Robert Brown in Holland IN THE YEAR 1582.

If you are a BAPTIST, you owe the tenets of your religion to your founder, John Smyth, who launched this denomination in the city of Amsterdam IN THE YEAR 1605.

If you are of the DUTCH REFORMED CHURCH, you recognize Michaelis Jones as your founder, because he originated your religion in New York IN THE YEAR 1628.

If you are a PROTESTANT EPISCOPALIAN, your religion was an offshoot of the Church Of England, and your offshoot was founded by Samuel Seabury in the American Colonies in the 17th Century.

If you are a METHODIST, your religion was launched by John and Charles Wesley in England IN THE YEAR 1744.

If you are a UNITARIAN, then Theophilus Lindley is the founder of your church, in London IN THE YEAR 1774.

If you are a MORMON (LATTER DAY SAINTS) your modern religion was started by Joseph Smith in Palmyra, New York, IN THE YEAR 1829.

If you worship with THE SALVATION ARMY, your sect began with Willian Booth in the city of London IN THE YEAR 1865.

If you are a CHRISTIAN SCIENTIST, you recognize that your religion was begun by Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy IN THE YEAR 1879.

If you belong to one of the religious organizations known as "CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE", or "PENTECOSTAL GOSPEL", Or "HOLINESS CHURCH", or "PILGRIM HOLINESS CHURCH", or "JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES", Or any of the MULTIPLE THOUSANDS OF STOREFRONT CHURCHES, then your religion is one of the thousands of new sects founded by men WITHIN THE PAST 150 YEARS!

If you are a ROMAN CATHOLIC,
Then you know that your Church was founded IN THE YEAR 33
BY JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD,
AND IT IS STILL THE SAME CHURCH!!!

Holes in the fence

There was once a boy with a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.
On the first day the boy drove 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled.
He discovered that it was easier to hold his temper than to drive nails into a fence. Finally, a day came when he didn’t need the hammer and nails at all. Proudly, he went to tell his father. This time the father suggested that each day he kept his temper, the boy should pull out a nail from the fence.
The days passed, until eventually the boy was able to tell his father that at last all the nails were gone. The father took the boy by the hand and led him to the fence. “You have done well — but look at all the holes in the fence! It will never be the same again. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won’t matter how many times you say I’m sorry, the wound is still there.”

Anoche Cuando Dormia

Anoche cuando dormía
soñé, ¡bendita ilusión!,
que una fontana fluía
dentro de mi corazón.
Di, ¿por qué acequia escondida,
agua, vienes hasta mí,
manantial de nuestra vida
de donde nunca bebí?

Anoche cuando dormía
soñé, ¡bendita ilusión!,
que una colmena tenía
dentro de mi corazón;
y las doradas abejas
iban fabricando en él,
con las amarguras viejas,
blanca cera y dulce miel.

Anoche cuando dormía
soñé, ¡bendita ilusión!,
que un ardiente sol lucía
dentro de mi corazón.
Era ardiente porque daba
calores de rojo hogar,
y era sol porque alumbraba
y porque hacía llorar.

Anoche cuando dormía
soñé, ¡bendita ilusión!,
que era Dios lo que tenía
dentro de mi corazón.

Antonio Machado

Prayer for New Archbishop of Los Angeles

His Eminence Cardinal Roger M. Mahony is asking all Catholics to pray for the appointment of his successor as archbishop of Los Angeles. Here is the official prayer:

Lord God, you are our eternal and guide. In your mercy,
grant to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles a shepherd
who will walk in your ways and who watchful care will
bring us your blessing.

In your love for us, give us the joy of receiving a shepherd
who will be an example of goodness to your people and
who will fill our hearts and minds with the truth of the Gospel.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, you Son, who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for-
ever and ever. AMEN.