Chant at St. B

Worship aid insert
Originally uploaded by hettingr.

We could add this (via Avery sticky labels) to the front of our worship aid (Word & Song)

George Bush Sr.'s take on Iraq

Here's an email that came to me:

In his memoirs, "A World Transformed," written five years ago, George Bush Sr. wrote the following to explain why he didn't go after Saddam Hussein at the end of the Gulf War.

"Trying to eliminate Saddam...would have incurred incalculable human and political costs. Apprehending him was probably impossible.... We would have been forced to occupy Baghdad and, in effect, rule Iraq.... There was no viable "exit strategy" we could see, violating another of our principles. Furthermore, we had been consciously trying to set a pattern for handling aggression in the post-Cold War world. Going in and occupying Iraq, thus unilaterally exceeding the United Nations' mandate, would have destroyed the precedent of international response to aggression that we hoped to establish. Had we gone the invasion route, the United States could conceivably still be an occupying power in a bitterly hostile land."

If only his son could read.

 
I don't know who started this email, but I did check it out. It is an excerpt from the book, page 489.

I've spent all day making phone calls for KerryKentucky, verifying email addresses. Dozens of people took time to tell me that they wanted to DO something about all this.

TheStar.com - Editorial: Kerry fails Iraq test

TheStar.com - Editorial: Kerry fails Iraq test

Click the link above to read a thought-provoking editorial from the Toronto Star.

I would say to the author:

Your perspective is logical, but I don't think you quite have a handle on the American situation.

When you write...

That leaves most Americans feeling misled, or duped. They can see the damage to U.S. prestige internationally. The loss of more than 1,000 American and allied lives, and 16,000 Iraqi lives . A $200-billion cost.

...you are not speaking of the average American. A solid majority do NOT understand how unimaginably badly our U.S. prestige is damaged. It hasn't sunk in. They don't have a clue.

I'm glad to see you put a number on the Iraqi lives lost, because in this country's news reports, I never see it except as a vague afterthought, as in "...and also thousands of Iraqi lives." (This mortifies me. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.)

I feel betrayed by our President, and I think J. Kerry has his finger on the reason. After 9/11, facing a new, unknown, threat, people might be forgiven for thinking that the country's leadership needed to be light on its feet, and give more executive power to a leader. But even as the threat was new, our President's response was also new. Who knew that we had a President who isn't sure what a president is? Who doesn't understand that his legitimate power comes from being part of a vast organization to which and for which he is responsible? He is like a schoolboy president of a school organization who hasn't learned democratic procedure yet and just thinks he is the boss. What a disaster this is!

I think J. Kerry has a very STRONG sense of government, of its laws and it's myriad legitimate voices. In his more complex understanding role of President, it is allowable to have voted as he did.

But you're right, it's the wrong thing to say in an election. J. Kerry's appropriateness as "a serious man for a serious job" is unfortunately not an asset in the "democratic" election process in U.S.America.

And since it's too late to do the right thing about Iraq, hindsight is just as problematic, since there's this huge mess, and we are in it, and we are responsible to clean up. (I don't know if it's possible, but the responsibility is still there.)

It's a time for prayer. And campaigning.

[Added Aug 19.
Fareed Zakaria brings his knowledge to this question as in this Newsweek article:
Why Kerry Is Right on Iraq by Fareed Zakaria]

Chant at St. B

We tape for Mass of the Air this week(a TV broadcast for those who cannot attend mass in person), for the 24th and 26th Sundays of Ordinary Time. Because of the 25-minute time limit, it's a very strict format that we use. This time I want to try something different, and the St. B Cantors are willing to go along with it. During Preparation of the Gifts we always play some instrumental music. I have, in the past, played chant from the Graduale on the flute, which is interesting, but somewhat lacking [grin]. However, it fits very well. So this time, I'll prepare to sing the Latin communion chant from the Graduale at Prep of Gifts, and then we will sing a song at communion that corresponds to the communion chant.

Actually that's easier said than done. First of all, I should have looked up those "corresponding" communion songs in advance. When we were planning, it had to be done quickly, and we couldn't find very good matches. (I find this to be true a lot--that there is so much more (or at least different) range of expression in the Graduale than in our current hymnals.)

24th Sunday communion antiphon is Tollite hostias, et introite in atria eius: adorate Dominum in aula sancta eius.
Word & Song gives the English as "O God, how much we value your mercy! All mankind can gather under your protection."
We're going to sing "Amazing Grace" at communion.


26th Sunday communion antiphon is Memento verbi tui servo tuo, Domine in quo mihi spem dedisti: haec me consolata est in humilitate mea. "O Lord, remember the words you spoke to me, your servant, which made me live in hope and consoled me when I was downcast."

We'll be singing "The Lord is my Light" (based on Psalm 27).

I hope we get points for good intentions. ;)

The other tricky thing will be the acoustics at the recording session. We record in the Ursuline chapel, which has GREAT acoustics for chant, but the recording engineers are accustomed to placing the microphones directly in front of the singers, which cancels out the acoustics. I'll have to talk to them about this.

Chant at St. B

We tape for Mass of the Air this week(a TV broadcast for those who cannot attend mass in person), for the 24th and 26th Sundays of Ordinary Time. Because of the 25-minute time limit, it's a very strict format that we use. This time I want to try something different, and the St. B Cantors are willing to go along with it. During Preparation of the Gifts we always play some instrumental music. I have, in the past, played chant from the Graduale on the flute, which is interesting, but somewhat lacking . However, it fits very well. So this time, I'll prepare to sing the Latin communion chant from the Graduale at Prep of Gifts, and then we will sing a song at communion that corresponds to the communion chant.

Actually that's easier said than done. First of all, I should have looked up those "corresponding" communion songs in advance. When we were planning, it had to be done quickly, and we couldn't find very good matches. (I find this to be true a lot--that there is so much more (or at least different) range of expression in the Graduale than in our current hymnals.)

24th Sunday communion antiphon is Tollite hostias, et introite in atria eius: adorate Dominum in aula sancta eius.
Word & Song gives the English as "O God, how much we value your mercy! All mankind can gather under your protection."
We're going to sing "Amazing Grace" at communion.


26th Sunday communion antiphon is Memento verbi tui servo tuo, Domine in quo mihi spem dedisti: haec me consolata est in humilitate mea. "O Lord, remember the words you spoke to me, your servant, which made me live in hope and consoled me when I was downcast."

We'll be singing "The Lord is my Light" (based on Psalm 27).

I hope we get points for good intentions.

The other tricky thing will be the acoustics at the recording session. We record in the Ursuline chapel, which has GREAT acoustics for chant, but the recording engineers are accustomed to placing the microphones directly in front of the singers, which cancels out the acoustics. I'll have to talk to them about this.

Top News Article | Reuters.com

Top News Article | Reuters.com: "The testimony backed the contention of England's lawyers that Abu Ghraib was an unruly prison where inmates were often kept naked, guards were not trained and abuse complaints were ignored. England has said she was just following orders to soften up detainees for questioning.

Joyner said he and many colleagues had no training as prison guards when they went to Abu Ghraib and worked minimum 12-hour days there.

'No one knew what we were supposed to do. Basically I was shooting from the hip and hoping to God I didn't screw up,' he said."

Kerry Kentucky meeting

I went to the Kerry Kentucky Volunteer meeting last night at first Unitarian Church, across the street from Abe Lincoln at the library. I got there a little late, so I had a hard time trying to park. Then I had a hard time getting in. It was tight-packed standing-room only, with people hanging outside all the doors of a fairly-large church.

I don't know the names of the speakers. The first guy was probably on the staff of the Democratic Party. (He has an office and a phone number). He said that there are "swing states" and we know that campaigning is going really strong there. But he really spoke to me, (and many there) when he said that Kentucky is a "bubble" state, which, I think means that it is important, too. (see the numbers in the post below, and you'll see how possible it is). And the folks at that meeting last night were interested in what WE can do, HERE.

The Democrat fellow (he was young, articulate, and kinda cute, if that matters), invited everyone to go to Fancy Farm (old-fashioned outdoor political rally, both (all?) parties) tomorrow (Saturday), there's a bus leaving from Democratic Party headquarters. no charge to ride. Sounds great, but I have a prior commitment. Call them if you're interested, or show up.

The next speaker was a woman, didn't catch her name, who must be the main organizer of this KerryKentucky group that started in April around a table at the Rudyard Kipling. She noted that the number of people had multiplied GREATLY since the last meeting, enough that we'd have to change plans on meeting space from now on. This is a grass-roots activity that is unprecedented at this point in the election process.

Did we know that the US has the poorest voter participation of all the democratized nations of the world? One of the numbers I jotted down was that, in this country, only 38% of those in poverty vote, and these are the most affected.

She talked about individual efforts that are inspiring. Here's one: Louis Moseson is going to Wal-Mart 1-1/2 hours on Saturdays and registering scads of people to vote (I forget how many, but it's impressive). (Makes me think I should carry around voter registration cards, envelopes and stamps. I think I will.)

She talked about Owlsley (?) Brown, a prominent Louisville Republican, I think, who is organizing Republicans for Kerry. He says, "This is not about our party, this is about the future of our great nation."

She talked about some famous Texan, who had campaigned for GWBush for governor and president, who says something like, "GB is a really great guy, but his policies are really terrible, and he messed up too many things." (Don't quote this. I was just scribbling. Find a reliable source if you need it.)

People who do business overseas are coming together behind Kerry.

Of course, she talked a lot about what she sees in John Kerry. (Go to JohnKerry.com for info)

She had all of us who had never participated in any political events before raise our hands. It was a lot of us, about 1 in six or eight. That said something, too, I think.

She said, "We don't want your money." I was glad to hear that. (We give money whenever MoveOn asks for it, and occasionally when the Democratic party asks for it, but I am tired of being hit for money and not given a better idea of what I can do personally.). There were numerous groups and people with specific activities planned that you could talk to. (College student groups, people signing up to stand outside Fahrenheit 9/11 with information, people going around apartment neighborhoods with information, etc.) She had bought Yard Signs, T-shirts, bumper stickers and buttons. She would give them away, or asked us if we would reimburse her son's college fund with a donation.

KerryKentucky has a plan. They have something called "Pledge 3" which has the materials and information to organize in neighborhoods. Basically it involves volunteering to send out letters to people who are registered, regular Democratic voters, and invite them to a meeting at your house. That group meets and plans to bring 3 other people each to another meeting. At the third meeting (I think), you all plan to contact people, speak to them, get them to the polls. Arrange to drive folks who need rides, etc. (I'm not clear on the last part. It made good sense when I heard it, and I'm going to find out what it is.)

There are trainings for neighborhood volunteers all next week, day, evening and night. If you're interested, contact kerrykentucky@yahoo.com. They'll tell you were to go. I signed up to go Monday evening at 5:30.

That's it for now.

pax,
maggie

Win Back Respect

Win Back Respect: "More than 200 Americans studying abroad - including more than 30 Rhodes Scholars - have signed an unprecedented open letter alerting their families, representatives and communities back home to the growing rift that the Bush administration's foreign policies are creating between America and the rest of the world. Learn how the lives of Americans abroad are being affected by the administration's go-it-alone approach."

My daughter is in Germany, and has spent much time in Europe over the last 3 years. Her experience has been the same as the students who wrote the letter linked above. Just today she told me that, out of all the students and other Americans she talks to in Germany, she only knows two who have anything positive to say about Pres. Bush and his administration.

That's obviously VERY different from the percentages here, even of college-type people.

Folks in other parts of the world must be getting very different information than we are.

KeepMedia | U.S.News & World Report: In Iraq, in uniform, and in turmoil

KeepMedia | U.S.News & World Report: In Iraq, in uniform, and in turmoil

: " 'suicide is not a medical problem. It's a community problem. You don't reduce suicide by reducing suicide. You reduce it by improving the quality of life in the military.'"


Probably goes for suicide terrorists, as well. You reduce it by improving the quality of life period.

Frequent worshippers tend to cast GOP vote

Frequent worshippers tend to cast GOP vote

How much of this has to do with mannerisms, tone of voice and speaking/preaching style?

I've ordered two books by Noam Chomsky, whom I respect as a linguist, who seems to have done some work on this politics/control area.

I also ordered the 9/11 Commission report (only $8, very readable) , which, I am gratified to see, appears to make the assertion that the terrorist problem is not a nationalist situation, and conventional war is an inappropriate means to deal with the problem.

That's a lot of reading to do.

I'm also working on Deus, Deus meus, respice (Psalm 22) from Palm Sunday. What a compelling, haunting, piece of prayer. It seems to fit the subject matter of our times, doesn't it? I keep thinking of people caught in our military and money-flow horrors.

A Little Latin

Agnus Dei audio recording HERE

LATIN TEXT	PRONOUNCED	ENGLISH TRANSLATION
Agnus Dei	AH-nyoos DAY-ee	Lamb of God
qui tollis peccata mundi	kwee TOLE-lihs pay-CAH-tah MOON-dee	you take away the sin of the world
miserere nobis	mee-say-RAY-ray NO-beece	have mercy on us
dona nobis pacem	DOUGH-nah NO-beece PAH-chem	grant us peace

---

The Catholic Church has spoken and sung in Latin since the liturgy was formed in the first centuries, becoming the official text of all Christianity, and down through the present time. Since 1963, (well, actually since the Protestant Reformation) liturgy has been spoken and sung in people’s everyday languages, as well.

You know Latin is ancient. There are fewer words in the Latin language than there are in the English language. Our current languages developed using many Latin roots, and words have become more specific in their meanings. So when you read an English translation of a Latin text, you get a specific approximation of the original prayer or scripture. But the original Latin contained many more concepts that have since been splintered off into other words. For instance, the word mundi is translated in the Lamb of God as world, but Whitaker’s Words Latin Translator tells you it might mean universe, heavens; world, or mankind.

So, knowing all those meanings, when we say, “qui tollis peccata mundi,” recognizing that Christ has power to “take away sin,” are we asking that he subtract the black marks on our personal scorecard? Or asking forgiveness for the scorecard of the whole world? The universe?

There’s a even another set of meanings of the word mundi, which refers to clothing and ornaments.

“The sins of the clothing”?!!

Well, think about it a minute. Think about English words whose root is mundi, such as mundane (ordinary), municipality (big city), and, for you Harry Potter fans, Muggle.

Saying,"qui tollis peccata mundi,” can we be asking for mercy as we realize that we are not always our best selves, letting stylish things and peer pressure lead us to do things that we would not otherwise do? That’s not so far-fetched. It happens all the time.

And what about the verb, tollis? It’s usually translated as “take away,” but there are other possible meanings, including lift, raise, destroy, remove.

Are we asking Christ to “take away” bad marks on a scorecard?

Or might we be asking that the consequences of mistakes be not as bad as they could be, but somehow “raised up,” seen in a kinder light, and perhaps even transformed by grace, good intentions, or kindness of others into something good?

A prayer for our times, isn’t it?

If you decide to give Latin a chance, whatever Italian, Spanish, or French you know will probably come in handy. These languages are direct descendants of Latin, and if a word sounds similar, it probably is. An interesting thing to remember, though, is that all during the centuries when these newer languages (and our own English) were developing, European culture was still singing and praying the original texts and phrases of liturgical chant in Latin. The Latin liturgy has been a continuing connection among all the people who said those ancient prayers. It has really never been broken.

We don’t sing Latin chant because it is old. We sing it because it is rich and meaningful.

If we come to know it well enough, we don’t sing it, anyway. It sings us, and we agree to be part of the song.

When you’re translating for yourself, in your own meditation and prayer, it’s not so much how accurate you are that matters, but how the connections enrich the meaning, making a difference in your understanding of God and of yourself.

---

Agnus

lamb (sacrificial offering)

Dei

(of) God

qui

who

tollis

lift, raise, destroy, remove

peccata

sin, wrongdoing, mistake,miss the mark

mundi

universe, heavens; world, mankind; dress/clothing/ornament

miserere

pity, have compassion

nobis

we, ourselves

dona

present, grant

nobis

we, ourselves

pacem

peace, harmony

---

PDF file suitable for inserting in bulletin. Permission granted to reproduce.

What is "liberal"? What is "conservative"?

I'm still grokking the world I inhabited yesterday, in which I saw "Farenheit 9/11" with my daughter and came home to watch an hour or so of the Democratic Convention on broadcast TV.

The puzzle to us is why George Bush has such a loyal following. What do these people see that we can't? Michael Moore highlights this question well, simply by following scenes of anguish and carnage in Iraq with a segue to Britney Spears saying earnestly, "I think we should trust our President," or something to that effect.

It's so...high-school.

High-school. Traditional 50's-era memory-glorified high-school.

Linguists say that we individuals each maintain hundreds or thousands of dialects in our cognitive database, and answer within the appropriate dialect according to the situation we find ourselves in. I've often perceived an extension of this, in that the dialect just as likely predicates the actual response--its content as well as the style of the language. It's how our knowledge is stored: within our interactions with each other.

George Bush's mannerisms and capabilities seem to me to correspond to the successful high-school president or team captain. At that level, he would be a success. That's the level at which he functions, and, while so many of us are constantly appalled at his inappropriatness as a leader in the world, others may be (unconsciously) soothed and reassured as he fulfils familiar patterns of their primal experience.

So, is a "conservative" someone who reveres and operates within and hearkens to the shared ideal of 50's high-school behavior and a "liberal" someone who reveres and operates within and hearkens to the archetype of the 70's college student?

Maybe it's as simple as identifying the subset of those Americans who center their behavior in Philosophic cognitive patterns (Does this align with conservative?) and those who center their behavior in Ironic cognitive patterns (Does this align with liberal?).

Democratic Nat'l Convention--Thursday

We don't get cable TV here. Had to deal with network TV. Discovered that "Live Coverage" can mean the convention is going on in the background, but Tom Brokaw's head is covering up what you might have been able to see, and he and other talking dudes blathering about what we're going to see and hear later in the week covers up whatever it is that we might see and hear now. We changed the channel.

Glenn Close's 9/11 piece seemed forced and flat to me, but who knows? It was followed by a truly moving appeal from a woman who had lost 3 family members on one of the hijacked flights.

Hillary Clinton's "introduction" was a rousing yet intelligent endorsement of the Democratic Party and the upcoming Presidential candidates. I was pleased to hear her call J. Kerry "a serious man for a serious job."

Bill Clinton's speech was effective, powerful, resonant. It was interesting to me how he said that the Republicans need a divided America. I was groping toward articulating that today, talking with Natalie, as we tried to figure out how it is that so many people seem to need to know that they are "hanging out" with the "elite," and in order to do that, they have to always be aware of somebody "other" who is not "elite."

He also reminded us that "strength" and "wisdom' are not opposing values. Thank you, Mr. Clinton.

It was a great relief, like a return to normalcy, to listen to the speakers at the Convention tonight--to hear the endorsement of common sense that our present leadership has brazenly abandoned. This is not my usual reaction to political conventions. Hopefully that signals an unusual campaign and election.

Natalie and I saw Farenheit 9/11 today, my second time, her first. It is a powerful movie. The most harrowing to me are the segments portraying the anguish of the Iraqi people surrounded by fire and chaos.

USATODAY.com - PPG working on self-cleaning counters that kill, resist bacteria

USATODAY.com - PPG working on self-cleaning counters that kill, resist bacteria

I'm ordering new countertop this week. Wish this was available!

Chant at St. B

New pastor likes chant. Also tabernacle & statues all over the front of church. Stuff on the altar. (And he put it all there by the first week.) Also sermons. Bells. Gestures from the 50's. Cardboard wafer bread. (Never mind the bread-baking ministry). Liturgy committee? what's that?

I sure miss scripture-breaking, servant leadership and respect for the presence of Christ in the Assembly of the People of God. Have to find it elsewhere? Bah.

But the good thing is, I guess, he wants chant. Of course we know it. Some of it.

Most musicians have been on vacation. I filled in once or twice. Jamie asked me to sing the resp. psalm, this week and last week. Maybe I will stay in the rotation. I'd like to be cantor, and can bring guitar and flute. Think I will.

Sunday we sang Agnus Dei Mass XVIII. I led it, and parish answered strongly. Fr. commented favorably on this at the end of mass. That's a good thing. Still, it needs to be explained to those folks who don't know what's going on. Perhaps a paragraph for the bulletin and a language explanation. Not next week, though.

Next week we introduce the Lee chant Gloria (Gather #254) for Ordinary time. Choir has learned it. We'll do this a capella, too. It worked well at HT.

I spent the last two days reading. I've been looking for months for something I could get engaged in. Amy lent me her copy of I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb. It's an angry book, and a peaceful, reconciling one. As I read it, I feel as if I were solving a whole lot of my relationship conflicts.

Nat's going to read it next. It has some things in it that I would never have been reading when I was her age, but that's the way everything is now. And in this book, the events, though extraordinary, don't seem to be at all forced or added. It's a very cohesive and insightful book. Do-it-yourself therapy in page-turner fiction.

-----

Last night we went bowling to kindof celebrate Amy's birthday. I can really get into that. You can be real competetive with the pins and real supporting of everyone as they play. Nice.

------

Remember when we used to watch Mr. Spock and his super computer that you could find out all kinds of information on? Well, we've got it now, but who no one ever (that I know of) predicted it would be ONE computer that was made up of all of us, that we're all part of, that belongs to the world.

That's the reason I like blogs. And homepages. Business does not control the information on the internet. If individual people share whatever they feel is important: lists--insights, plans, hopes, thoughts, art, play, relationships--the good in the world is the guiding force.

You go, Google!

The New York Times > Washington > President Says U.S. to Examine Iran-Qaeda Tie

The New York Times > Washington > President Says U.S. to Examine Iran-Qaeda Tie

Hmm... wasn't it in Florida that the AlQaeda group trained for its 9/11 flights? And where else in the US have Al Qaeda members been based? Do you suppose those states should be preparing for "surgical" air strikes?

t r u t h o u t - Bill Moyers | This is the Fight of Our Lives

t r u t h o u t - Bill Moyers | This is the Fight of Our Lives

The veteran Washington reporter, Elizabeth Drew, says "the greatest change in Washington over the past 25 years - in its culture, in the way it does business and the ever-burgeoning amount of business transactions that go on here - has been in the preoccupation with money." Jeffrey Birnbaum, who covered Washington for nearly twenty years for the Wall Street Journal, put it more strongly: "[campaign cash] has flooded over the gunwales of the ship of state and threatens to sink the entire vessel.

This is Bill Moyers who created/hosted the wonderful PBS series with Joseph Campbell.

Keep it in the tail

I'm rereading Stephen J. Gould's seminal article: "The Median isn't the Message"

It's good advice to cancer patients, and it's good advice for human beings. You can't fix it all, you can't carry everyone. But you can steer in the right direction. And, at any particular moment, it's not the horrible baggage that counts the most, but whether we "keep ourselves in the tail" of the statistical landscape. Not the great lump of the middle ground, but the high road that ultimately carries the world.


Here's a more current illustration. It's a short video, quickly downloaded.
http://www.moveonpac.org/edwards.html

Who benefits from manufactured fear? The big business of arms sales and political control. Who loses? As far as I can see, we all do.

I prefer to check in on the side of the positive. Anything else is a big downward spiral.

PS
I see that Stephen J. Gould's "labor of love" lifework book is http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0674006135/watchmakerpress"> The Structure of Evolutionary Theory. I'm heading to the library.

memory. hope.

Anywise, instead of dying, I got me a big piece of magic that night. It was hard to hang onto for a time, but I know no matter what else I experience in this world, scraps and pieces of that magic'll be with me forever. I don't question that."

from "Seven Wild Sisters," one of a dozen poignant, smile-and-thought-provoking stories in "Tapping the Dream Tree," by Charles de Lint.