A week ago today, both Marc Girard (Our fellow-writer, the Illustrious Marceg) , and his father Thomas Girard passed away in a drowning accident near their home in CT. I would write more, but haven’t the heart to just yet. Both Miss Angela Rose and myself will be back to blogging in the near future, but a halt in posts and comment responses is called for at this time.

In Loving Memory…

I have never gotten around to writing a review of the Fairy Tale Novels, a series of books I’ve mentioned here and there. Now, as the title implies, they are based off of the classic Fairy Tales of the Grimm Brothers, etc; and yes, they do basically contain one form of romance or another. (What I particularly dislike about the modern world, is how many people seem to live in their own little “Fairy Tale” world, where everything is ‘ok.’ This is not so, and is rather a topic for another post; but what I would like to point out, that these books aren’t simply a ‘Fairy Tale,’ but rather a series with a Catholic Message directed towards today’s teens. They aren’t the deepest and most informing works for teens, but are a good means by which to address such an unaddressable audience. [Teens.]) The series begins with “The Shadow of the Bear,” a novel about a mysterious strange (Bear - Arthur Deniston) who befriends the Brier Sisters (Rose and Blance) and their family. As the story unfolds, we find several issues and circumstances which modern teens face addressed. (Like the idea of Prom, Dating; and in the later books, organ harvesting, feminism, and friendship.) We learn that ‘Bear’ has a brother, ‘Fish’ (Benedict Deniston,) who shares along in their adventures, as a sort of romance between the two familes developes. (Bear and Blanche, and later Fish and Rose.) As the book ends, we are taken into “Black as Night”, which is the second book in the series. Here, the author, Regina Doman, focuses more on the relationship of Bear and Blanche, (The story becoming more of a Snow White. Blanche being taken in by a group of Seven Friars.)

“Waking Rose” is the third book in the series, which is the most ‘romantic,’ yet introduces us to a broader world than the previous books. We meet the Knights of the Sacra Cor at Mercy College (A group of young men who are devoted to chivalry, swords, and watching Godzilla movies. [Sounds a bit like me....] lol), and the deepening relationship between Rose and Fish, which is soon broken up by the work of a Doctor who Rose snooped to close to her illegal operations of Organ Harvesting. But focusing on a more important issue, the familes are both strong Catholics, there are frequent scenes where the characters are praying, asking Saintly Interecession, and even doing Holy Hours. (Something which many modern books DO NOT have.) Personally, I’d recommend the books to anyone who is interesting in reading a good story, (I have yet to read the Fourth Installation, ‘Midnight Dancers’,) though I must say, that the books are more oriented towards a teen audience.

I won’t go into too much detail here, but my youtube account was spammed by a Satanist the other week, asking me if I wanted to become a Satanist. (Me of all people…, and of course, on Friday 13th…) lol I tried ignoring him, but he kept coming back, saying “Why are you Ignoring me,” etc… So I decided to post “Begone Satan” and the St. Michael Prayer on his account, and block that account. It worked, but a few days later, he took the time to create a new account, and posted a very vulgar reply, stating “F you and your God, you insulted my ‘master’ with that prayer. May you join me and Satan my master in our Paradise of Hell. Come to Hell you [Bleep]. A Curse be laid upon you! I have cursed you in Satan’s name!”

Ok, I have this bad habit of getting into cyber fights with people…(this is different…I didn’t even engage in a conversation with him) and I only said the St. Michael prayer… hehe, I’m tempted to post this: Heavy Duty. But anyways, since he has ‘cursed’ me, I posted the St. Michael prayer on my account, on his new account, and once again, on his old account. (Blocking him all over again.) Now, rather than getting into a fight with this guy, I’m just going to ask all of you to simply pray for him. If the St. Michael prayer from one person did that to him, I’d be interested in finding out what all the prayers of everyone who frequents this blog will do. Keep him in your prayers! We’ll have him converted in no time!

Ave Maria!  Friary Roderic (The Roving Reporter) interviews Mr. Thomas Girard, Grand Marshal of the Knights of Lepanto Encampment, about the purpose of the Father and Son Campouts, and about what we’re learning and doing!  I don’t make an appearance in the video, and the only glimpse of my banner is when you see some boys washing dishes… (The Irony…)  Click the picture to be redirected to the video, and enjoy!

This is a complimentary post which I felt nearly obliged to write after read through 3/4 of the Silmarillion. (Yes, I’ve finally gotten around to reading it! :D) The Silmarillion has been one of the most difficult attempts in my reading history, it is so deep, so profound, and has so many…names. The work basically recounts the history of Middle-earth, beginning with the creation of Arda, and the two Trees of Valinor, ending with the downfall of Numenor, and the coming of Elendil unto Middle-earth. Tolkien explores the concept of death rather delicately, declaring death, in itself, a gift of Eru Iluvitar to the race of men. A gift in the essence that unlike the Elves who were created to live in the world, and be part of it for all eternity, men may leave it after a time, going into the fulfillment of hte plans of Iluvitar. (No one actually knows what Eru had in store for men after death.)

But getting down to the basics, towards the end of the Silmarillion, we see men becoming close allies with the elves, and reaching a high state of power and honor. In gaining their power and wealth, they begin to grow envious of the elves, and their gift/curse of immortality. To understand how Death is a gift, we must look at the immortality of the elves. Immoratility is only desired by those who wish to cling onto this life, whether it be for gold, power, pleasure, or the like. The Elves were a kindred who necessarily did not indulge in such things, yet were still prone to their snares. The elves lived their lives attached to the fate of this world, only dying by the hands of their foes, or by deep and irreversible grief. Now, Eru deigned that the elves be part of the world which came into being, and thus must live immortally as part of it. Men came into being by unknown craft, allowed a generous portion of years of life, yet, after that time, were to be called out of this world, into the reward of the afterlife. This doesn’t sound altogether that bad, for rather than living in weariness of this world, men were offered an escape. But in building their Kingdoms, men longed not for the gift after death, but rather envied the elves, in desire of retaining their possessions and wealth ever long. This became their downfall, as the men of Numenor, corrupted by Sauron’s lies and deceit, decided to sail West unto Aman, to claim immortality for themselves. (Being thus blinded by the lies of the Dark Lord.)

In its basic concept, we can see the resemblance between this and Even in the Garden. Satan (Sauron) tempted Eve through lies and deceit, promising Forbidden Knowledge if she were to partake of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. (”Forbidden” as the serpent puts it, saying that God wished to deceive Adam and Eve.) Sauron uses the same tactics to turn the race of Men against that of the Elves. Battle ensues, and Eru Iluvitar orders our justice as he sees fit. Though this is a rather choppy post, it sums up the moral of the story. Though death is a punishment for sin, it is also a gift. For if we live our lives according to God’s Law, then we shall meet Him in the Everlasting Bliss to come.