31 posts tagged “catholicism”

St. Joseph's Chapel - life

Today was gorgeous weather! I went back down to St. Joseph's College and took a proper shoot of the Chapel and grounds. The Welcome Center/Admissions Office gave me advice and a map, and the Dean's Office was very helpful and friendly. I also captured images of the old Drexel Hall, now it's been renovated and repurposed for the Rensselaer Adult Learning Center. I suppose there goes all the claims that it's haunted and priests become "furious" if you mention the chapel within the hall.

On the way back, I stopped at the Jasper County Airport and got a few shots of the field.

Wanting to know if there were any zinc headstones in the local cemeteries without having to walk them for hours on end, I stopped by Rensselaer Monument, just down the road from my hotel. If anyone should know what I'm talking about, it will be the people who work in the industry. Rensselaer Monument has been owned and operated by the Woolley family since 1976. They were an incredible family who operated a very friendly and professional shop. Ross Woolley cited knowing of a zinc headstone in a nearby town. His son thought that there might be one in Weston Cemetery, which is near downtown, so I headed off to Weston Cemetery right away. Sure enough, I found it.

Weston Cemetery - Zinc gravemarker - Julia King

What worried me was that the groundskeeper didn't know what a zinc headstone was and outright said, "I wouldn't know one if I saw one." How can you properly clean one if you don't know what you've got? Well, that aside, it's a beautiful cemetery. Both the new and old sections are well-kept. The old section has platts that are erratically scattered, which is typical, but the shade provided by the towering fir trees made a beautiful landscape on the hill. The zinc headstone is marking the grave of two people: a Julia M. King and her infant son, Charles F. King.

I returned to my room after that to start organising photos and make phone calls. I have an appointment with Assistant Chief Kenny Haun of the Rensselaer Volunteer Fire Department at 9:30 tomorrow morning to photograph the vehicles. It shouldn't take too long.

Here are more images from Day 4:

St. Joseph's College - Lourdes Grotto - Jesus in the cavern

This statue of Christ at the Garden of Gethsamen is inside a cave at the Lourdes Grotto on the St. Joseph's College Campus in Rensselaer, Indiana. It was cold today but bearable until the wind kicked up. My stay was brief thanks to my very low tolerance of cold, but St. Joseph's College is an incredible place to walk around. The Lourdes Grotto depicts one of the eighteen moments in France when St. Bernadette saw the Blessed Virgin Mary and compliments the moment with a stone archway, waterfalls and koi ponds, with an altar in the center. The grotto was built over 100 years ago by a semarian of the college. If you walk beyond the Lourdes Grotto, you begin the outdoor display of the Stations of the Cross, which are constructed on a circular path so Station 12 brings you to Station 1. There are many benches and little seating areas, everything with a dedication plate on it to remind visitors of a loved one, former student, or friend of the college. One of the stones used as a dedication stated my life motto:

St. Joseph's College - Live Laugh Love

Past the college was a small cemetery called Mt. Calvary Catholic Cemetery, hosting a humble 100, if that, devoted Catholics. The grounds took a sudden steep decline, at the top of which was a sign:

Mt. Calvary Catholic Cemetery - No Sledding sign

I have to tell you, it would be a righteous sledding hill. I'd have to imagine that those resting would appreciate that fact. At the bottom of the decline was a small area platted for additional graves which have not been occupied, yet. In the center is an etched memorial stone for St. Katherine Drexel.

The firefighters weren't "home" so I took photographs of the outside and hope the weather cooperates tomorrow so I can return to take some vehicle and firefighter shots if someone is at the firehouse then. The old Rensselaer Carnegie Library, now the Carnegie Center, was a great experience. The main floor had an exhibition from the Senior Portfolio of St. Joseph's College. The work was spectacular and they allowed photography of the pieces. I have been careful to note the artists of the works that I've photographed when posting to flickr. The lower level was the offices of the Jasper Foundation, which is a charitable organisation that helps philanthropists donate to local programs that support the community. I spoke with Executive Director Linda Reiners, who was very friendly and informative about the history of the building.

Rensselaer Carnegie Library - Andrew McKim pottery

I got some of the perspective shots of farms that my mother wanted, but I'm not sure she'll be pleased with them. I'll take more before the week is done but I hope she understands that I've done the best I can with the farms in the area.

My hotel decided to stain the coat rack and bathroom door in my room. It was a project for all the rooms, and I was assured that the smell would be minimal and I would not have to take my clothes from the room. The smell was horrible, even before they returned the door. I expect a refund for this day. She said I didn't have to take out my clothes or leave. I had left for part of the day and it was still a nauseating experience dealing with these fumes. In fact, the room still smells and I've had the window open and the bathroom fan running for hours. I can't sleep with the window open in freezing weather on the first floor of a hotel in a strange town.

Here are more shots of St. Joseph's College, the Rensselaer Carnegie Library, and the firehouse:

St. Augustine - path to BVM shrine

I went to Mass Sunday morning, which I'm officially referring to as Day 1 of the Rensselaer Days, at St. Augustine off McKinley Avenue. I did not get to meet the priest, but many of the parishoners were very friendly and welcoming. The organisation of the Church itself is welcoming to visitors, with informative pamphlets posted inside at every entrance. I walked away with a magnet, a bookmark and a prayer card. The grounds seem humble for a parish that dates back to 1883. The Rosary (The Glorious Mysteries) was prayed by the priest and many parishoners in between the 7:30 and 10 o'clock Mass, led by a woman in the choir balcony. What struck me the most was that the confessionals had red and green lights on them; that must be so convenient!

Afterwards, I went on my waymarking spree of the World War I memorial in Memorial Park (Flat Iron), James Van Rensselaer's grave outside the First Presbyterian Church, the City Hall, the Jasper County Courthouse, General Milton's memorial, and all the particulars on all those grounds. I met Dr. Robert Berland, of the Couey trial. Couey kidnapped, raped and murdered Jessica Lunsford. I was not in a murder-case frame of mind so when he first mentioned Couey, I didn't know what he was talking about! That was embarassing.

Rensselaer City Hall

On Day 2, today, I returned to the Rensselaer City Hall to take interior pictures. There wasn't a marker posted outside detailing when the original building was constructed so I assumed it would be inside. I photographed the markers that were available, none of them the original that I was looking for, and then asked the police department, who occupy the original City Hall building next door. They directed me towards the Mayor's Office. So, today, I met Mayor Herbert Arihood as I was wearing blue jeans and a sweatshirt. Understand that I wasn't expecting to meet anyone. I was just going to quickly take a few images of plaques on the interior of the building. I didn't even bring a business card with me. I explained waymarking and what contributions I was making to the website and he provided me with information that I could quote him on. Mayor Arihood is a member of the Historical Society and I feel comfortable calling his office or emailing him with any more questions that I may have during my stay.

Unfortunately, Rensselaer's rich history is more available for sale under copyright than it is offered freely on the internet. I cannot impress enough the importance of having historical information readily available through internet searches. Providing people with instant access to information is worth more than any royalties. As a moral position, I believe history belongs to everyone who wishes to know it; and while a historian is more than welcome to publish materials in a book for sale, the same information should be easily accessible for free on the internet.

Here are images from Day 1 & 2:

Eddie taking a picture

We coloured eggs tonight, and then took pictures of them. Tommy even got into the fun, turning all his eggs blue.

On Wednesday while Bailey was in CCD, I waymarked the North Port Library and took some pictures of the Most Holy Mother of God Ukrainian Catholic Church off of Price and Biscayne that I've been eyeing for the better part of four years. It's an elaborate structure and incredibly stunning. Waiting out the final moments of Bailey's class, I took even more photos of San Pedro Catholic Church. I just can't help myself.

Earlier today I took a few shots of Ollies Pond Park in Port Charlotte. I was actually investigating the claim on the County website that Ollies Pond Park had a fitness trail. I never remembered such a thing in this small park that only had a single path that circled the center pond. My memory was right and there is no actual fitness trail. One would get fit walking the trail, mind you, but an actual fitness trail is something a bit more than that.

I adopted Myakkahatchee Cache (GCGYJF) and I'm very happy about that. I couldn't allow it to be archived when so many new caches have filled that park. It was an active and solid cache to start with, even in the park all by its lonesome. Once our pending waymarks are approved, we'll be one or two shy of 100 waymarks. I've done about 75 waymarks in one week. Not too shabby.

I've been trying to prepare for this Spring Vacation trip I have to take for Michael's and Eddie's visitation in the midwest. It's bothersome but it has to get done. Can you believe tomorrow is Good Friday already?! I'm ready for a nice, long sleep tonight.

Here's a few more shots from yesterday and today:

Courtyard fountain

Tom's had some kind of food poisoning over the past couple days so I haven't been out much. Today after school, Bailey and I went out waymarking in Punta Gorda. Here are some pictures from that:

But I have two particular places that I'm not quite sure what to do with. Actually, it's three, but the third can fit into an existing Waymarking category. It just cannot stand as a Historical Artifact, which is bothersome. The original jail is at History Park. It's nothing more than a metal cage. Now, if it was a replica of the original, it would have a category. Unfortunately, there is no existing category that I can find to place this location. That's a shame because it's killer. The other is the original paver bricks from the streets of downtown Punta Gorda that have a home in front of the Bank of America building.

St. Patrick's Day was a meal of corned beef, mashed potatoes, and asparagus. I forgot the cabbage! Eddie and Bailey did great peeling the potatoes:

Bailey and Eddie peeling potatoes

Yellow flower

On Friday, I set up a couple our hides that needed repair or replacement. Harbor Arbor at Harbor Heights Park needed a new log, a bag, and a new case. I think this one will do better against the elements. If not, I have more options. Good Boy! at Roscoe's gravemarker needed a replacement of everything.

The remainder of the weekend was spent spring cleaning the house. This evening, I finished preparing a letterbox hide. I'm debating whether I'm going to put the information on Atlas Quest, within another letterbox, a geocache, or on a messageboard.

It's Holy Week. St. Patrick's Day is tomorrow. I still have the four remaining geocaches in Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park, plus another geocache located north of I-75 in Venice.

Here's a few more images from Harbor Heights Park and a look at Roscoe's grave:

Yesterday, Michael, Eddie, Bailey and I geocached and had some fun with that. Our first DNF was a true DNF in that we couldn't find the nano. But it was a nano and unless they managed to hide the cache on the orange spot of the ladybug we spotted, we didn't find anything that could be a cache. Then, we found a regular cache in Butler Park, which was really fun for the kids. Our final DNF was because the whole area had been levelled and covered in construction equipment.

Michael, Bailey and I did some waymarks today until it was time for Bailey's CCD. Then, Michael and I took photos of the sanctuary while we waited. Bailey's class was being taught the Stations of the Cross this week so they came into the Church while we were in there to examine the art on the walls. I was very proud to watch Bailey and how she really does know all the answers and pay attention. The teacher had already told me that she was the best student, but it was very nice to see it in person.

While we were out waymarking, it was Bailey who spotted this little guy:

Baby gator

I really love that the kids have an interest in these hobbies and enjoy them just as much as we do.

Hat tip to the Ironic Catholic. I have got to get cable again!

Valentine's Day - red rose

From the Catholic Encyclopedia, St. Valentine's Day:

The popular customs associated with Saint Valentine's Day undoubtedly had their origin in a conventional belief generally received in England and France during the Middle Ages, that on 14 February, i.e. half way through the second month of the year, the birds began to pair. Thus in Chaucer's Parliament of Foules we read:

For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne's day
Whan every foul cometh ther to choose his mate.

For this reason the day was looked upon as specially consecrated to lovers and as a proper occasion for writing love letters and sending lovers' tokens. Both the French and English literatures of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries contain allusions to the practice. Perhaps the earliest to be found is in the 34th and 35th Ballades of the bilingual poet, John Gower, written in French; but Lydgate and Clauvowe supply other examples. Those who chose each other under these circumstances seem to have been called by each other their Valentines. In the Paston Letters, Dame Elizabeth Brews writes thus about a match she hopes to make for her daughter (we modernize the spelling), addressing the favoured suitor:

And, cousin mine, upon Monday is Saint Valentine's Day and every bird chooses himself a mate, and if it like you to come on Thursday night, and make provision that you may abide till then, I trust to God that ye shall speak to my husband and I shall pray that we may bring the matter to a conclusion.

Shortly after the young lady herself wrote a letter to the same man addressing it "Unto my rightwell beloved Valentine, John Paston Esquire". The custom of choosing and sending valentines has of late years fallen into comparative desuetude.

Blini

• 1 pkg yeast
• 2 c lukewarm milk
• 3 c flour, divided into halves
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 6 tbsp soft butter
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3 egg whites

Dissolve the yeast in milk. Stir 1-1/2 cups of flour and the sugar into the yeast mix. Cover and let rise in awarm place for an hour. Beat three egg yolks with the soft butter and add the rest of the flour and the salt. Beat this mix into the yeast mis. Cover and let rise again for another our. Whip three egg whites until stiff and fold them into the bater. Let the batter rest for fifteen minutes. Lightly oil a small skillet and bake small pancakes. The blini should be thin. Serve with caviar or a fruit topping.

Cascarones

• 1 small box cellulose wallpaper paste
• confetti
• clean, blown eggshells
• colour tissue paper
• egg dye or food colours (optional)
• glitter (optional)
• storage container for eggs to perch while drying

Using a large darning needle or an ice pick, make a small hole in one end of each eg and a larger hole at the other end. Blow the contents of the egg into a clean bowl. The eggs can be scrambled or used for baking. Rinse the shells carefully and allow to dry. If you like, colour the eggs with egg dye or food colours and again allow them to dry.

Cover your work surface with waxed paper to protect your table or counter and prevent eggs from sticking. Tear colour tissue into small pieces. Mix up a small bowl of the wallpaper paste according to package directions. Spoon confetti into the shells until they are about 1/3 to 1/2 full. Dip a piece of the tissue into the paste and carefully cover the hole to prevent the confetti from spilling out. Add several more pieces of color tissue to add colour to the cascarone. Springle on a little glitter or confetti to make them more festive. Perch the completed egg on a proper place until completely dry, then pack in egg cartons until time for use.

Catholic Traditions In The Home And Classrooms: 365 Days To Celebrate A Catholic Year

Ann Ball