The Great Books of the Western World and Bishop Barron's Pivotal Players

Ironically, the Great Books only includes two of Bishop Barron's Pivotal Players: Saint Augustine and Saint Thomas Aquinas and do not mention the person who preserved Western Civilization: Saint Benedict of Nursia.

The Great Books of the Western World are books that constitute an essential foundation of Western culture and influence world civilization. To be considered great, books must be critically acclaimed works that are relevant to many major ideas and issues, have contemporary significance and benefits, and include literary merit. 

Great Books  is a series of books originally published in the United States in 1952, by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., to present the great books in 54 volumes.

Bishop Robert Barron Pivotal Players book describe "12 heroes who shaped the Church and changed the world"

In the Preface to the Great Books,  Robert M. Hutchins writes: Until lately, the West has regarded it as self-evident that the road to education lay through Great books. No man was educated, unless he was acquainted with the masterpieces of his tradition. There never was very much doubt in anybody's mind about which the masterpieces were. They were the books that had endured and that the common voice of mankind called the finest creations, in writing, of the Western mind. 

In the course of history, from epoch to epoch, new books have been written that have won their place in the list. Books once thought entitled to belong to it have been superceded; and this process if change will continue as long as man can think and write. It is the task of every generation to reasses the tradition in which it lives, to discard what it cannot use and to bring into context with the distant and intermediate past the most recent contributions to the Great Conversation - Robert M. Hutchins, Preface to the Great Books.

Pivotal Players and the Great Books

The original editors had three criteria for including a book in the series drawn from Western Civilization: the book must be relevant to contemporary matters, and not only important in its historical context; it must be rewarding to re-read repeatedly with respect to liberal education; and it must be a part of "the great conversation about the great ideas", relevant to at least 25 of the 102 "Great Ideas" as identified by the editor of the series's comprehensive index, the Syntopicon, to which they belonged. The books were chosen not on the basis of ethnic and cultural inclusiveness (historical influence being seen as sufficient for inclusion), nor on whether the editors agreed with the authors' views.

A second edition was published in 1990, in 60 volumes. Some translations were updated; some works were removed; and there were additions from the 20th century, in six new volumes.

Ironically, the Great Books only includes two of Bishop Barron's Pivotal Players: Saint Augustine and Saint Thomas Aquinas and do not mention the person who preserved Western Civilization: Saint Benedict of Nursia. According to Bishop Barron

"at a time when Roman order had collapsed and barbarian invaders were picking through the rabble of a once great civilization  Benedict founded the religious community that would, in time, preserve the best of the old and allow for the emergence of a particularly Christian way of life. 

This is the massive Segovia aqueduct, constructed during the reign of Emperor Trajan between AD 98 and 117, which stands as a testament to the ingenuity of Roman engineering. Remarkably preserved, this monumental structure spans 2,388 feet and rises with 165 arches, each exceeding 30 feet in height. Uniquely, it is assembled from around 24,000 dark Guadarrama granite blocks, laid without any mortar, showcasing the precision and durability of ancient Roman construction techniques.

And so it is absolutely no exaggeration to say that without Benedict, there would not be Thomas Aquinas, no Catherine of Siena, no Ignatius of Loyola, no Michelangelo, and no John Henry Newman." Saint Benedict relentlessly preserved Seneca, Cicero, Plato, Aristotle, Aristophanes, Caesar  - in fact, practically everything of value that we have from the ancient world 

Pivotal Players 

As Stephen Beale puts it: "It’s difficult to overstate how crucial Western monasticism was to preserving European civilization. As the last vestiges of the Roman Empire withered away in the fifth century, monastic communities emerged as islands of enlightenment among a dark sea of barbarism and anarchy that held sway over Europe for centuries. There was one occupation of the monks which, perhaps more than any other, helped in the preservation of Western Civilization: that of copying ancient manuscripts.
But the role of the monks in saving civilization was even broader than this. Besides praying and working out their salvation and preaching the gospel, what else did monks pursue in those monasteries? The practical arts, agriculture being a significant one. They literally saved agriculture in Europe. They taught the folks how to cultivate the land, especially in Germany where they converted the wilderness into a cultivated country. Manual labor was intrinsic part of their rule which proclaimed “ora et labora” (pray and work). In England they owned one fifth of all its cultivable land. The monks would introduce crops, industries and production methods with which the people were not familiar: the rearing and breeding of cattle, horses, the brewing of beer, the raising of bees and fruits. The corn trade in Sweden was established by the monks, in Parma it was cheese making, in Ireland salmon fisheries, and in many places vineyards. St. Benedict of Nursia, whose feast day was earlier this month, is universally recognized as the founder of Western monasticism, with his famous Rule of St. Benedict serving as the blueprint for what was at its height 37,000 Benedictine monasteries. So it’s not for nothing that St. Benedict is one of the patron saints of Europe. (And it’s easy to see why Pope Benedict XVI, facing the onslaught of a new dark ages upon Europe, took his name.)

While Bishop Barron's book the  Pivotal Players is not the Great Books of the Western World, all the Pivotal Players, including Michelangelo, St. Catherine of Siena, G.K. Chesterton, St. John Henry Newman, Fulton J. Sheen and others would meet the three criteria for including a book in the series drawn from Western Civilization.  

Just like  Robert M. Hutchins writes in Preface to the Great Books: "In the course of history, from epoch to epoch, new books have been written that have won their place in the list. Books once thought entitled to belong to it have been superceded; and this process if change will continue as long as man can think and write." So it is with the Pivotal Players: "Evangelizing the culture then, requires being able to  'red the signs of the times.' All our Pivotal Players had the ability, whether consciously or intuitively: From St. Benedict discerning he needed to leave the decadent urban culture of sixth-century Italy and set up a monastic community, to Bartolomè de las Casas in the fifteenth century recognizing he must challenge the inhumane treatment of indigenous people in the Americas, to St. John Henry Newman engaging in the intellectual life of nineteenth century Oxford. Closer tonour own age, we find Flannery O'Connor responding to the spiritual deafness of twentieth-century America with her fiction, and Fulton Sheen recognizing the potential of television for evangelization. These figures presented the same truth I'm distinctive ways that met the needs of the time," Holly Ordway writes

Holly Ordway also writes: What can we learn from these Pivotal Players? We have seen how their lives reflected the love of God, and how their devotion to Christ decisively influenced the Church.the  we have recognized the way that these figures embodied the Church's mission, to evangize the culture. We have admired them, learned from them, and been surprised and challenged by them.

But we should not stop there.. we should ask: What next? How can we carry on their work of evangelization? That question may seem daunting or even prideful. After all, these are really great figures. Who are we to emulate someone like St. Ignatius, St. Catherine of Siena, or Michelangelo?  It might seem more fitting and more humble to view these men and women as set apart, bigger and better than ordinary Catholics like us. Let others who have great spiritual gifts do great things, right? No, that's not right, and I dare say that any of these Pivotal Players would speak up to say so.

When we look at the lives of these great figures, we see again and again the truth that they recognized:  their lives were not about them. From St. A-Benedict to St. John Henry Newman, from G. K. Chesterton to Flannery O'Connor, we see that these figures had tremendous intellect, spiritual, pastoral, and creative gifts - and they used them with great humility to pursue the beautiful, the good and the true; that is to love and serve God in his Church.

True humility does not mean pretending one does not have any talents or downplaying the value of one's gift. Rather, it means recognizing that these are precisely God's gifts, and focusing on how they can be put to service for the kingdom. The Pivotal Players we have encountered were gifted in many ways., and their humility is grounded in their outward focus: How to serve Christ with talents God gave them.

So it is right and fitting - and indeed vitally important - that we should ask the question: How can we fo what they did in our own day and and with our gifts and talents?

In order to answer that question we need to discern the shape of the culture.

Every age and every culture presents

particular opportunities for evangelization. Certain aspects of the human experience are perennial: people have always faced the problem of suffering, and struggled with issues of justice and mercy. Individual people have grappled with questions about the existence of God, the truth of the Resurrection, the nature of sin and so on. But the way these issues are experienced is profoundly shaped by the culture.

Whatever particular gifts any one of us might have, one thing we do all have, for certain: a vocation to holiness. We are all called to be saints, and to witness with our lives to the truth of the faith. 

There are new saints being raised up right now, who in future generations will be recognized as pivotal players of the 21st century. It might be you or me, in God's providence  - it might be someone whom you or I help to come into the Church, or someone we encourage, or teach, or pray for, or serve. Each and everyone of us is a pivotal player for someone in our lives. Let us live out that calling, with God's help and the help of the saints.

For example, Carlo Acutis, a video game and computer-loving teenager known as "God's influencer" who died at age 15 will become the first Millennial saint.

While Bishop Barron's book the Pivotal Players does not come close on terms of depth and breadth to the Great Books, it can be read in one sitting and used to discard what is not useful and use it to bring into context with the distant and intermediate past the contributions to the Great Conversation as Robert M. Hutchins might say.

Related

A good book opens the mind, stimulates the heart, and prepares us for life, Pope Francis writes in a letter to future priests, but also all pastoral workers and Christians will appreciate "reading novels and poems as part of one’s path to personal maturity."

St. Irenaeus, Apologist, fought heretics, a doctor of the church, and leading Christian theologian of the 2nd century

Brought to you directly from the Apostles.

St. Irenaeus, an apologist, fought heretics, is  a doctor of the church, a leading Christian theologian of the 2nd century, author of the first Catholic Catechism, Champion of the Incarnation, possibly martyred is
Patron Saint of those who work for the unity of the Eastern and Western Churches, Invoked against Christological heresies, and by apologists and catechists.

Irenaeus is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church and in the ancient Churches of the Christian East: the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Oriental Orthodox Churches, including the Assyrian Church of the East. The Latin Catholic Church celebrates his memorial on 28 June.
Pope Francis declared Irenaeus the 37th Doctor of the Church on 21 January 2022

Irenaeus was was born around AD 130, Asia Minor—died c. 200/203, probably Lyon. According to Eusebius, who wrote a history of the church in the 4th century, Irenaeus, prior to his becoming bishop, had served as a missionary to southern Gaul and as a peacemaker among the churches of Asia Minor that had been disturbed by heresy. As bishop of Lyons he was especially concerned with the Gnostics, such as Valentinus, who took their name from the Greek word for “knowledge.” Claiming access to secret knowledge imparted by Jesus to only a few disciples, their teaching was attracting and confusing many Christians. After thoroughly investigating the various Gnostic sects and their “secret,” Irenaeus showed to what logical conclusions their tenets led. These he contrasted with the teaching of the apostles and the text of Holy Scripture, giving us, in five books, a system of theology of great importance to subsequent times. Moreover, his work, widely used and translated into Latin and Armenian, gradually ended the influence of the Gnostics. Offereing three pillars of orthodoxy: the scriptures, the tradition handed down from the apostles, and the teaching of the apostles' successors. He is the earliest surviving witness to regard all four of the now-canonical gospels as essential.

For the glory of God is a man fully alive; and the life of man consists in beholding God. For if the manifestation of God, which is made by means of the creation, affords life to all living in the earth, much more does that revelation of the Father which comes through the Word, give life to those who see God. ~Saint Irenaeus, Against Heresies 4.20.7

His work Adversus haereses (Against Heresies), written about 180, was a refutation of gnosticism. In the course of his writings, Irenaeus advanced the development of an authoritative canon of Scriptures, the creed, and the authority of the episcopal office.

In a 2007 General Audience  Pope Benedict XVI  recalled  ho  this early Church Father, saint Irenaeus “refuted the Gnostic dualism and pessimism which debased corporeal realities. He decisively claimed the original holiness of matter, of the body, of the flesh no less than of the spirit. But his work went far beyond the confutation of heresy: in fact, one can say that he emerges as the first great Church theologian who created systematic theology; he himself speaks of the system of theology, that is, of the internal coherence of all faith.”

As Chad Bird writes: "Just imagine that: how would you like to study under a teacher who himself had been a student of the disciple whom Jesus loved? Sign me up! Irenaeus had plenty of opportunities to take what he had learned, from Polycarp and others, and put them into practice. Though born in Smyrna (modern-day Turkey), he ended up in the Roman province of Gaul, as part of the Christian community there. While he was away on church business in Rome, persecution against believers broke out back home, the bishop died, and upon Irenaeus’ return, he took his place. For the next 20+ years, Irenaeus was bishop and missionary in that region. He died, possibly by martyrdom, around AD 200."



Prayer: Saint Irenaeus, you were inspired by the Holy Spirit, and you allowed that inspiration to guide you in your pastoral ministry, in which you led the Church away from error and into a deeper understanding of the Truth. Please pray for me, that I will never deviate from the truths handed down throughout the ages, beginning with the Scriptures and continuing today. May I always remain faithful as you were faithful so that I will come to a full knowledge of the full Truth given to us by God. Saint Irenaeus, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

Flannery O'Connor and the source and summit: If It's a Symbol, the Hell With It.

"One of the quirkiest and most intriguing of all the Pivotal Players was a twentieth-century Catholic writer of fiction from the American South, a woman whose macabre, puzzling and luminous stories have had a transformative impact on both the Church and the wider culture." That's how Bishop Barron describes Flannery O'Connor in his book Pivotal Players.

New Georgia Encyclopedia describes Flannery O’Connor as ".. one of America’s greatest fiction writers and one of the strongest apologists for Roman Catholicism in the twentieth century. Born of the marriage of two of Georgia’s oldest Catholic families, O’Connor was a devout believer whose small but impressive body of fiction presents the soul’s struggle with what she called the “stinking mad shadow of Jesus.”"


"The Catholic novelist in the South will see many distorted images of Christ, but he will certainly feel that a distorted image of Christ is better than no image at all. I think he will feel a good deal more kinship with backwoods prophets and shouting fundamentalists than he will with those politer elements for whom the supernatural is an embarrassment and for whom religion has become a department of sociology or culture or personality development." - Flannery O'Connor

PBS's Liz Field focuses on O'Connor's illness, writing "The writer Flannery O’Connor was known for her dark, funny and sassy stories about misfits, outsiders and the types of offbeat characters she encountered while living in the American South. O’Connor herself could be considered a sort of outsider. Plagued by symptoms of lupus in the latter part of her life and mostly bound to the farm where she lived with her mother and many peacocks, she often wrote about themes of isolation and created characters driven by desires to connect with each other, society at large, or with God.

Whereas Bishop Barron's forward to the Flannery O'Connor Collection reads as follows: "As becomes unmistakably clear as you read through this collection, Flannery O’Connor was not only a masterful teller of tales; she was also one of the most perceptive literary theorists of the twentieth century. She once famously defined herself as a “hillbilly Thomist,” and the aesthetics of St. Thomas Aquinas do indeed inform the way she thought about her own work. 

Speaking from the window of the Apostolic Palace on June 23, Pope Francis asked the crowd gathered below in St. Peter’s Square to reflect on how they usually deal with times of trial. Jesus does not spare us from difficulties but strengthens us with the Eucharist to have the courage to face them, Pope Francis said in his reflection on Sunday’s Gospel.





When Flannery O'Connor was a a shy, promising young writer, novelist Mary McCarthy invited her to dinner. Attempting to draw Flannery out, McCarthy commented that though she was ex-Catholic, she had great admiration for the Eucharist as a symbol. To which Flannery responded in a shaky voice: "Well, if it's a symbol, to hell with it." To be fair to McCarthy, she is not alone. In 2010, the Pew Research Center released its U.S. Religious Knowledge Survey.  They found, “More than four in ten Catholics in the United States (45%) do not know that their church teaches that the bread and wine used in Communion do not merely symbolize but actually become the body and blood of Christ.”

The Catholic Church (1324) teaches "The Eucharist is "the source and summit of the Christian life." "The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch." As to symbology, the Church further teaches (1325) "The Eucharist is the efficacious sign and sublime cause of that communion in the divine life and that unity of the People of God by which the Church is kept in being. It is the culmination both of God's action sanctifying the world in Christ and of the worship men offer to Christ and through him to the Father in the Holy Spirit."
Finally, (1326) by the Eucharistic celebration we already unite ourselves with the heavenly liturgy and anticipate eternal life, when God will be all in all.


Despite what McCarthy says, the Eucharist is not just a powerful symbol, but (CCC 1327), "the Eucharist is the sum and summary of our faith: "Our way of thinking is attuned to the Eucharist, and the Eucharist in turn confirms our way of thinking."

Cyril the Pillar of Faith and Doctor of the Church

June 27 is Feast Day of Saint Cyril of Alexandria, patron saint of theologians and scholars, is best known for his defense of the doctrine of the Incarnation (that the one Person of Jesus was the divine Son, the Second Person of the Trinity), and for his brilliant exegetical writings.

Cyril was also known as Cyril the Pillar of Faith, lived during the 4th and 5th centuries AD, and was known as a zealot, impulsive, often violent, actions: He pillaged and closed the churches of heretics, participated in the deposing of Saint John Chrysostom - John was the son of a high-ranking military officer and was raised as a Christian by his widowed mother. Although he studied law under a distinguished pagan rhetorician, Libanius, he gave up his profession to study theology, ultimately becoming an ascetic hermit-monk - and confiscated Jewish property, expelling the Jews from Alexandria in retaliation for their attacks on Christians.  Not unlike Saint Thomas More, Cyril walked the talk.

Cyril, recognized as a great teacher of the Church, began his career as archbishop of Alexandria, Egypt,   which was a bustling metropolis and a center of learning in ancient Egypt. Alexandria was renowned for its great library and played a crucial role in the spread of Christianity during Cyril’s time.

The Fall of Rome (410 AD): In 410 AD, the Visigoths, led by Alaric I, successfully invaded and plundered Rome. This event shocked the Roman Empire, as the city had not been captured by an enemy in nearly 800 years. The fall of Rome had far-reaching consequences for the Western Roman Empire and marked the decline of Roman influence in the region..

The Founding of Constantinople (330 AD): Constantinople was built over six years, and consecrated on 11 May 330. Constantine divided the expanded city, like Rome, into 14 regions, and ornamented it with public works worthy of an imperial metropolis

Constantinople 

Emperor Constantine the Great established Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) as the new capital of the Roman Empire in 330 AD. This strategic move shifted the focus of the empire to the East and laid the foundation for the Byzantine Empire, which would become a major center of Christianity and culture.

When Patriarch Theophilus died in 412, Cyril was chosen as his successor as head of the Egyptian Church. He continued his uncle’s policy of Alexandria’s preeminence within the Church over Constantinople in spite of the political prominence of the imperial capital. Eventually, these two Eastern Churches re-established communion around the year 418.

Ten years after Cyril became the Bishop of Alexandria, a theological issue caused a new breach between Alexandria and Constantinople.  His reputation as a brilliant theologian was manifested in his defense of Catholic orthodoxy during this time.

In the year 428, a monk named Nestorius became the new Patriarch of Constantinople. Nestorius was not willing to use the term Theotokos (Mother of God) to describe the Blessed Virgin Mary. Rather, he opted to insist on the term Christotokos (Mother of Christ). This became a source of controversy, for Nestorius’ claim was against the revered doctrines of the Church.

Mary, the Theotokos - The Greek Church had already held two ecumenical councils to confirm Christ’s eternal preexistence as God before the Incarnation. Thus, based on this unchanging belief, it followed logically that Mary was the Mother of God. The doctrine of Mary as Theotokos confirmed the doctrine of the Incarnation as well as the status of Christ as equal with God the Father.

Cyril and many other bishops disagreed with Nestorius’ claims and his refusal to acknowledge Mary as the Mother of God. Nestorius’ convictions revealed a heretical view of Jesus Christ, splitting Him into two united but distinct persons: one that is fully human and born of Mary, and the other that is fully divine and not subject to birth or death.

In 431, Cyril presided over the Ecumenical Council of Ephesus, which ran from June 22 to July 31. The Council of Ephesus was a council of Christian bishops convened in Ephesus (near present-day Selçuk in Turkey) in AD 431 by the Roman Emperor Theodosius II. While the council was a tumultuous affair,  Cyril brilliantly defended the orthodox belief in Christ as one eternally divine person who also became incarnate as a man. Nestorius was condemned by the Council, deposed as Patriarch of Constantinople, and later suffered exile. Cyril reconciled with many other Antiochian theologians who once supported Nestorius.

Besides needing to soften some of his opposition to those who had sided with Nestorius, Cyril had difficulties with some of his own allies, who thought he had gone too far, sacrificing not only language but orthodoxy. Until his death, his policy of moderation kept his extreme partisans under control. On his deathbed, despite pressure, he refused to condemn the teacher of Nestorius.

Cyril  died in the year 444, having served as Bishop of Alexandria for nearly 32 years. He was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1883. 

Prayer for Saint Cyril 

Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Your servant, St. Cyril of Alexandria, as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the devotion to You he showed in defending the true teachings of Your Church.

Prayer to Saint Cyril

O God, who made the Bishop Saint Cyril of Alexandria an invincible champion of the divine motherhood of the most Blessed Virgin Mary, grant, we pray, that we, who believe she is truly the Mother of God, may be saved through the Incarnation of Christ your Son. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Average Joe; From the Great Resignation to The Great American Squeeze

Doors closing in on Average Joe; From the Great Resignation to The Great Lamentation, aka the Great Squeeze.





The good news for Walmart, as reported by New York Times' Jordyn Holman: "Walmart, the largest retailer in the United States, on Thursday reported growth in sales and profit in the first quarter, helped by higher-income shoppers. Investors sent the stock to a record close."

The bad news for high-income earners is that according to Forbes Advisor, most live paycheck to paycheck: But they are blessed for even getting a paycheck:
We forecasted the Great Resignation was a misnomer. While people referred to the record number of Americans voluntarily leaving their jobs as the Great Resignation, we called it the Great Seppuku - and we were right. The Great Resignation has turned into the Great Lamentation.

And the bad news just keep pouring in. The Sacramento Bee reports Walmart is closing dozens of stores across 12 states this year. Where are high income earners going to shop now?

As if that was not bad enough, Red Lobster restaurant filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Florida and has since closed 100 locations. Other chains, including Tijuana Flats, Rubio's Coastal Grill, Sticky Fingers, and Ink Coffee have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in recent months after struggling to stay afloat. Where are the high-income earners going to find affordable fine dining?
Or what about a staycation? Following months of speculation, the Hilton hotel on Hegenberger Road near the Oakland airport is closing after more than 50 years.

What about the lower cost options, you might ask? Earlier this year,
Motel 6 Left the lights on too long and declared bankruptcy - Motel 6, the low budget motel chain, declared bankruptcy in January of this year. Plagued by more than $1.2 trillion in electricity bills without debt forgiveness, the board voted 7–1 in favor of filing for chapter 11. The announcement did not come as a surprise to Wall Street.


You think minimum wage works? Budget retailer 99 Cents Only filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Delaware on April 7, saying that it intended to close all of its 371 stores in the U.S. and sell off its real estate and remaining inventory. 99 Cents Only sells everyday household items, basic grocery items, and seasonal and party merchandise, much of which was priced at or below 99 cents. The company, headquartered in Tustin, California, had over 10,800 part-time and full-time employees at the time of its bankruptcy filing.

Desert anyone? Daniel Kline writes: "Bakery chains and cafes have struggled as they try to become full-day businesses. Even Starbucks has worked to get people to visit its cafes outside of breakfast and lunch hours. The coffee giant has tried multiple evening menus, attempted to launch a soda line, and often resorts to buy-one-get-one offers to drive business later in the day."



Many smaller cafes and bakeries have closed because many of their customers simply aren't there anymore. Corner Bakery, a Starbucks-like chain, was purchased for pennies on the dollar after a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.

Patis Bakery, which has multiple outlets in New York and New Jersey, and has a kosher menu has fallen victim to many of the same problems that have plagued local bakeries and cafes. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware in Wilmington.

Then there's furniture. Furniture has always been a category that's both needed and discretionary. With people worried about the economy, their jobs, and inflation that could mean opting for cheaper options like Ikea and other discount furniture chains. But, the economic environment has claimed several big-name players, including Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, which was liquidated, and Z Gallerie, which filed for Chapter 11 protection, then sold its assets in May.

What about college?  The costs of operating a higher education institution are becoming more and more overwhelming.

But why? Is it the Education Industrial Complex that turnedturned schools and universities into madrasshas: more indoctrination less education leaving a $1.7 trillion worth of useless degrees:? The most in-demand jobs in the next decade do not require a college degree, for example

Compare the increase in the cost of college with the increase in the Consumer Price Index, the cost of medical care, and the cost of a new car over the last 41 years. While medical costs have risen at almost two and a half times the rate of inflation, the cost of college tuition and fees has exceeded inflation by more than four times!

Not the Babylon Bee: Student Fails Medical School, Remedial Finance & Personal Accountability
Leaving $430K In Student Loan Debt Behind - imagine having him operate on you?

A 2023 survey conducted by Payroll.org highlighted that 78% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, a 6% increase from the previous year. In other words, more than three-quarters of Americans struggle to save or invest after paying for their monthly expenses.

Similarly, a 2023 Forbes Advisor survey revealed that nearly 70% of respondents either identified as living paycheck to paycheck (40%) or—even more concerning—reported that their income doesn’t even cover their standard expenses (29%).


U.S. Household Debt Is at an All-Time High. The total household debt of $17.3 trillion entering 2024 is a new high for the U.S. The largest increase in any category was credit card debt, which swelled by 16.6% between Q3 2022 and Q3 2023.

Americans owe $12.14 trillion on their mortgages, and mortgage debt accounts for 70.2% of consumer debt in the U.S. not to mention Americans have an absolute mountain of credit card debt — $1.115 trillion, to be exact.

But not to worry, the 2024 Summer Giveaway, aka Wealth Redistribution aka Socialism is here:

The Washington state Department of Commerce announced $72.6 million for 71 clean-energy projects that will fund electrical upgrades, solar panels and hydrogen projects for schools, community centers and other organizations

Meanwhile the City of Pomona, California, is giving away cash, even though the State faces its greatest budget shortfall.

The Biden administration just announced it is canceling nearly $5 billion in student loans for 74,000 borrowers - except that "student loan borrowers" Is a misnomer. It should be student loan delinquents. Otherwise why not cancel mortgage and credit card debt?

The Biden Administration boasts of a buttom up, side out approach to improve the economy. Yet a Venn Diagram, as Kamala Harris might say, shows that Zelensky, the Iran Mullahs, illegal immigrants, Millionaires and delinquents, are fairing much better than a two-income household or a fetus for that matter.

Joe Biden says "It's time hardworking Americans had a little breathing room." While this is true, his administration has sucked out all the air - average Americans are getting by with fumes in what is known as the Great American Squeeze.

RELATED

California Pizza Kitchen filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July 2020

Blaming the pandemic is Anthropomorphic:

The pandemic is often blamed for a lot of distress that restaurants are still having. Many of these businesses have been forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to reorganize and restructure their debts.

Walgreens is set to close a substantial number of its roughly 8,600 locations across the United States as the company looks to reset the struggling pharmaceutical chain’s business.

'Organized' shoplifting to blame for Walgreens store closures (2021)

“We continue to face a difficult operating environment, including persistent pressures on the US consumer and the impact of recent marketplace dynamics which have eroded pharmacy margins,” Wentworth said in a press release. “Our results and outlook reflect these headwinds.”

How long does it takes to save for a down-payment?

Depends on your economic situation: if you are a high-income earner, it'll take an eternity, thanks to the Great American Squeeze

The Making of Docile Lawyers

Originally published December 26, 2007 - republished in Remembrance of Saint Thomas Moore.

That lawyers are among the most miserable of men – and women – is well known

While the Ghost of Christmas past is still stored in our short-term memories, we are reminded that Blue Christmas is all too familiar to a number of people, but perhaps no more so than lawyers.


Harvard-trained, UCLA Law professor Sharon Dolovich, while a student at Harvard Law School wrote a piece titled "Making Docile Lawyers: An Essay on the Pacification of Law Students.", The piece is a "social psychology analysis of what happens to students at HLS to transform them from enthusiastic, engaged first year law students into fatalistic and pacified upper year students."

Maura A. Flood at Gonzaga Law School comments on Dolovich’s piece “I am certain that the effects she describes are felt by nearly every law student in nearly every law” and asks a rhetorical question: “Do law professors set out to create docile and demoralized lawyers? Of course not, but somehow it happens anyway…Could it have something to do with the fact that "justice" is a word that seldom makes its way into the first-year curriculum? I think it might. So many of the articles on first-year malaise, or law student angst, mention that students end up feeling set adrift from their values and beliefs, or made to feel that those values and beliefs are irrelevant”. A brief look at any university catalog clearly indicates that something similar happens in any field of study – that is, the first couple of years are replete with general education subjects that lead some students to ask something along the lines of “….why do I have to study art, my major is Engineering..!”, for instance.

“That lawyers are among the most miserable of men – and women – is well known”, writes WSJ columnist Sue Shellenbarger in the December 13, 2007 issue of the Wall Street Journal, citing widely quoted statistics from leading researcher on the subject, University of Ariozan’s Connie Beck: “Some 19% of lawyers suffer depression at any given time, compared with 6.7% of the population as a whole”, while Ronda Muir, Esq., a senior consultant with Robin Rolfe Resources and with law-practice experience in the US and Europe and an advanced study in psychology and conflict resolution has the following words of wisdom:



In general, lawyers score below the national average in emotional intelligence

Consider reverse psychology “You probably won’t….” might be a challenge the lawyer takes, Ms. Muir suggests

Lawyers are highly sensitive to criticism and likely to be defensive.

Do not play devil’s advocate, unless you can do so tactfully

Avoid emotional plays

Shellenbarger’s piece describes how “chronic anxiety over his work as an attorney snet Dan Lukasik skidding into a clinical depression”. Since then, and against friend’s and colleagues advice, Lukasik has come out of the closet by posting Lawyers With Depression, a website to help depressed lawyers. In his own words, “When I searched on-line for materials to read that would support me in my attempt to cope with depression and my law practice, what I found was sometimes helpful, but in the end, not sufficient” The site contains a number of bird of a feather articles and a number of tools to battle depression, including links to test for depression: Questionnaire, Treatment


Now that the closet is wide open, let us all have a prosperous 2008!

Saint Thomas More’s Zero BAG Index & The Legal Profession

Saint Thomas More, ironically, patron of those in the legal profession, believed no lay ruler has jurisdiction over the Church of Christ. His willingness to die for his belief illustrates the The Belief- Action Gap Index also known as the cognitive dissonance index (C D I) - the gap between the person's beliefs versus his action - no gap at all in the case of Saint Thomas More.

For his beliefs, saint Thomas was beheaded on Tower Hill, London, on July 6, 1535, because he steadfastly refused to approve King Henry VIII’s divorce and remarriage and establishment of the Church of England.

More was a literary scholar, eminent lawyer, gentleman, father of four children, and chancellor of England. An intensely spiritual man, he would not support the king’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon in order to marry Anne Boleyn. Nor would he acknowledge Henry as supreme head of the Church in England, breaking with Rome, and denying the pope as head.

More was committed to the Tower of London to await trial for treason: not swearing to the Act of Succession and the Oath of Supremacy. Upon conviction, More declared he had all the councils of Christendom and not just the council of one realm to support him in the decision of his conscience.

The film, A Man for All Seasons, a 1966 British historical drama film directed and produced by Fred Zinnemann, adapted by Robert Bolt from his play of the same name, depicts the final years of Sir Thomas More, the 16th-century Lord Chancellor of England who refused both to sign a letter asking Pope Clement VII to annul Henry VIII of England's marriage to Catherine of Aragon and to take an Oath of Supremacy declaring Henry Supreme Head of the Church of England.

As patron saint of those in the legal profession, Saint Thomas More must feel an extreme level of shock at what has happened to the legal profession: Passing the bar exam will soon not be required.  Consider the  Association Board of  Governors, Washington Supreme Court Justice Raquel Montoya-Lewis, one of the  chairs of the Bar Licensure Task Force, said the movement comes in part “from law students who have raised issues about equity, not just in the history of the adoption of  the bar exam, but also over the course of many decades, when you look at the disproportionate impacts that the bar exam has on examinees of color.” She went on to note, "They tend to fail the bar exam in disproportionate numbers." The Bar Licensure Task Force found that the traditional exam "disproportionately and  unnecessarily blocks marginalized groups from entering the practice of law" and is "at  best minimally effective for ensuring competent lawyers."

Soon doctors won't be required to be board certified and pilots will be allowed to fly if they can fly a drone.

Lawyers are now paid to come up with the best argument money can buy. Not to uncover the truth. A lawyer will argue that because a wealthy client broke the law, the law must be changed:  Either a 180 degree Belief to Action Gap Index,  to zero for Saint Thomas More.

Prayer to Saint Thomas More 

I pray, for the glory of God and in the pursuit of His justice, that I, with You, St. Thomas More, may be trustworthy with confidences, keen in study, accurate in analysis, correct in conclusion, able in argument, loyal to clients, honest with all, courteous to adversaries, ever attentive to conscience.


RELATED

Pope Francis to university students: Be like Saint Thomas More  - 'Stay true to your convictions and faith'

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8-mind-blowing-facts-about-thomas-more
Source: Worldhistory.org

Thomas More, also known as Saint Thomas More, was a remarkable figure in history whose life and accomplishments continue to captivate and inspire people today. Born in London in 1478, More was a lawyer, philosopher, author, and statesman, and is best known for his book “Utopia” which envisioned an ideal society.

However, there are many lesser-known facts about Thomas More that are equally fascinating. In this article, we will delve into eight mind-blowing facts about this remarkable individual, shedding light on aspects of his life and achievements that are often overlooked. From his deep religious faith and unwavering commitment to his principles, to his involvement in political intrigue and his ultimate martyrdom, the story of Thomas More is one that continues to both astound and inspire. So, let’s dive into these mind-blowing facts and gain a deeper understanding of the life and legacy of Thomas More.

Key Takeaways:
Thomas More, a close friend of King Henry VIII, was executed for opposing the king’s divorce and was later canonized as a saint for his unwavering commitment to his faith.

More’s famous work “Utopia” coined the term “utopia” and his execution sparked discussions on royal power and religious freedom, leaving a profound impact on European society.
Table of Contents

More was a close friend of King Henry VIII.

Thomas More enjoyed a close friendship with King Henry VIII, who respected More’s intellect and appointed him as his Chancellor. However, their friendship was strained when More strongly opposed Henry’s decision to break away from the Catholic Church.

Utopia – More’s most famous work.
One of Thomas More’s most notable works is “Utopia,” published in It depicts an imaginary island society that operates on principles of communal living, equality, and religious tolerance.

More coined the word “utopia.”
The term “utopia” itself was coined by Thomas More, derived from Greek roots, meaning “no place.” It has become synonymous with the concept of an ideal society.

More was executed for opposing Henry VIII’s divorce.
Thomas More’s loyalty to his principles led him to refuse to acknowledge Henry VIII as the Head of the Church of England and to oppose the annulment of the king’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon. As a result, he was tried for treason and executed in 1535.

More was canonized as a saint.
In recognition of his unwavering commitment to his faith, Thomas More was canonized by the Catholic Church in He is considered a martyr for religious freedom.

He was known for his wit and humor.
Thomas More was renowned for his quick wit and a sharp sense of humor. He often used humor to defuse tense situations and engage in intellectual debates.

More was a prolific writer.
Throughout his lifetime, Thomas More wrote numerous works on various subjects, including law, politics, religion, and philosophy. His writings continue to inspire scholars and readers to this day.

His execution had a profound impact.
Thomas More’s execution sent shockwaves throughout Europe and sparked discussions on the limits of royal power and religious freedom. His martyrdom symbolized the struggle for conscience and individual rights.

These 8 mind-blowing facts about Thomas More highlight the significant contributions and fascinating life of this influential figure. His legacy continues to shape political and philosophical discourse, making him an enduring icon in history.

Conclusion
In conclusion, Thomas More was an influential figure whose life and works continue to captivate and inspire people to this day. These mind-blowing facts about Thomas More highlight his brilliance, his convictions, and his unwavering commitment to his principles. From his groundbreaking literary masterpiece to his courageous stand against the power of the state, Thomas More’s legacy remains a testament to the power of intellect, integrity, and the pursuit of justice.

FAQs
Q: What is Thomas More most famous for?

A: Thomas More is most famous for his book “Utopia”, which introduced the concept of an ideal society and has had a profound influence on political and social thought.

Q: Was Thomas More a saint?

A: Yes, Thomas More was canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church in 1935. He is also known as Saint Thomas More.

Q: How did Thomas More die?

A: Thomas More was executed by beheading on July 6, 1535. He refused to accept King Henry VIII as the head of the English Church and refused to acknowledge the validity of his marriage to Anne Boleyn.

Q: Was Thomas More a lawyer?

A: Yes, Thomas More was a highly respected lawyer and served as Lord Chancellor of England. He was known for his legal expertise and his commitment to justice.

Q: What were Thomas More’s political beliefs?

A: Thomas More advocated for a society based on justice, equality, and communal ownership of property. He believed in the importance of education and the establishment of laws that promote the common good.

Q: Did Thomas More have any conflicts with King Henry VIII?

A: Yes, Thomas More had conflicts with King Henry VIII due to his refusal to accept the King’s authority over the Church and his refusal to support the annulment of Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon.

Q: How did Thomas More’s legacy impact society?

A: Thomas More’s legacy left a lasting impact on society, particularly in the areas of political thought, law, and humanism. His writings, including “Utopia”, continue to inspire discussions on social justice and the pursuit of a better world.

Q: Are there any movies or plays based on Thomas More’s life?

A: Yes, the play “A Man for All Seasons” by Robert Bolt and the subsequent film adaptation depict the life and dramatic events surrounding Thomas More. Both are highly regarded and offer a glimpse into his struggles against political power.

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Prayer of St. Thomas More
O Lord, give us a mind that is humble, quiet, peaceable, patient and charitable, and a taste of your Holy Spirit in all our thoughts, words, and deeds.

O Lord, give us a lively faith, a firm hope, a fervent charity, a love of you.

Take from us all lukewarmness in meditation and all dullness in prayer.  Give us fervor and delight in thinking of you, your grace, and your tender compassion toward us.

Give us, good Lord, the grace to work for the things we pray for.

Amen.

EdSource: California’s Universities Providing High-Quality Academic Experience - NOT!

Today's EdSource OpEd piece states: "for all the challenges they face, the Golden State institutions of higher learning, are providing a high quality academic experience.

EdSource describes itself as "a highly respected source of education information, research and analysis. It has emerged as the pre-eminent multimedia education news organization in California, home to the nation’s largest and most diverse public education system."

While the OpEd is a reminder of California Governor Gavin Newsom's anger as a results of Louisiana's adoption of the Ten Commandments, hat exactly is a "high-quality academic experience.?"

Not long ago, vigorous debate used to take place in universities. Now the universities have become indoctrination and propaganda distribution centers, where propaganda in the broadest sense is the technique of influencing human action by the manipulation of representations.

Not much different from social media and legacy mecia's business model that encourages silos and monetizes hate and division.

Social Media companies, make money through advertising rather than charging each user individually. If you are not paying for the product, the product is you: The media company renting your eyeballs to its advertisers.The more users on the site, the greater the number of advertisers willing to engage them, and the more those advertisers are willing to spend. The more the inflammatory the posts, the more clicks.The more clicks, the more revenue for the social media company. It's all about data mining. The crown jewels of a social media company is the data mining algorithm that identifies affinity groups and the traffic cop algorithm that control traffic between silos. Affinity groups aka silos, are segments of users who have expressed or demonstrated an interest in a specific topic, category, or activity on social media platforms. For example, the Hollywood Rule Of Pedophilia is in effect in social media platforms: Pedophiles go where they are welcomed and stay where they are protected and well treated. Consider social media made $11 billion in U.S. ad sales from minors in 2022.

Pedophilia is just one of thousands of affinity groups found in social media. If you are into the occult, there's a silo for you. If you are into antiSemitism, Communism, Socialism, stsr-gazing, and so on, there are silos for you. These silos can then serve you ads designed specifically for you.

Just before that EdSource's Diana Lambert reported: "Public data posted by the California Department of Education has been incomplete, often outdated and occasionally inaccurate, forcing legislators to pass laws based on old data, researchers to delay inquiries and journalists to grapple with inaccurate information"

Now, consider that California ranks 43rd in education.

Compare the increase in the cost of college with the increase in the Consumer Price Index, the cost of medical care, and the cost of a new car over the last 41 years. While medical costs have risen at almost two and a half times the rate of inflation, the cost of college tuition and fees has exceeded inflation by more than four times!

Then the teachers unions, propagandists and corrupt politicians racked up $1.7 trillion in student debt worth of useless degrees.

The best part is that the most in-demand jobs in the next decade do not require a college degree.

But it is good to know that Golden State institutions are providing a high quality academic experience  - however that's measured 

Memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga

Aloysius de Gonzaga was an Italian aristocrat who became a member of the Society of Jesus, a religious order he founded, with the motto; Ad maiorem Dei gloriam (To the greater glory of God.)

While still a student at the Roman College, he died as a result of caring for the victims of a serious epidemic. He was beatified in 1605 and canonized in 1726.

A precocious child, Saint Aloysius Gonzaga had a spiritual awakening at the age of 7. As a young adult, and after a prolonged battle with his father, he entered the Jesuits where he had to learn to live and maneuver within community, and give up some of his independent ways of doing things. Aloysius helped nurse patients of the plague which he caught and from which he died.


 Bishop Robert Barron includes Saint Aloysius Gonzaga as one of 12 Pivotal Players  in his book The Pivotal Players, "because at a crucial time in the history of the Church, when Western Christianity was coming apart, Ignatius established a religious order with the organization, zeal and military discipline required to meet the challenge. The little band of brothers that he formed in the student dormitories of the University of Paris grew eventually into a religious family that has served the mission of the Church across the world foe the past five centuries."

Bishop Barron compares the impact of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga to his contemporaries writing "Though superficially his life seemed comparatively little moments, he has had an impact greater and more lasting than some of the best-known of his contemporaries: Charles V of Spain, Henry VIII of England, even Martin Luther and John Calvin. He effected this influence first through the establishment of the Jesuit order, which even in Ignatius' lifetime had become a powerful force in Europe and beyond and which today spans the globe, and second, through his masterpiece The Spiritual Exercise, which for the past five centuries has taught people how to commune with God and to find true freedom."

O God, giver of heavenly gifts, who in Saint Aloysius Gonzaga joined penitence to a wonderful innocence of life, grant through his merits and intercession, that, though we have failed to follow him in innocence, we may imitate him in penitence. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.