Tea at Trianon: St Joseph of Cupertino

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

St Joseph of Cupertino

Terry Nelson has a beautiful post on St. Joseph of Cupertino, a saint surrounded by mystical phenomena. Terry says:

How does one imitate a saint like Joseph of Cupertino? Or any other saint for that matter. It is true that we ought to imitate, or follow Christ alone, while the saints are presented to us as intercessors, helps and models for us who strive to live a Christian life. Though separated from us by the thin veil of our mortality, in their perfect union with God in heaven, they are more near to us - for the asking - than our closest friends. While their earthly lives may be emulated, although not necessarily in outward conduct, it seems to me that we do best to try to live according to their spirit. Share

3 comments:

Terry Nelson said...: Thanks Elena - I shortened the post, although you have the edited version. I was trying to say too much in the first installment. Thanks for the link.; September 18, 2007 at 6:32:00 PM EDT
elena maria vidal said...: You are welcome, Terry!; September 19, 2007 at 8:31:00 AM EDT
Brantigny said...: St Joseph Of Cupertino I the Patron Saint of helocopters. You know we Catholcs have a patron for everything. I am sure he was watching over me more than one time in my Marine Corps career. I was assigned to 3 different Marine Helo Squadrons in 22 years. I had 3 crashes, an engine explode over me and walked away from each.

Thank God.

de Brantigny; September 19, 2007 at 11:32:00 AM EDT