This blog is based on references in the Bible to fear. God wills that we “BE NOT AFRAID”. Vincit qui se vincit" is a Latin phrase meaning "He conquers who conquers himself." Many theologians state that the eighth deadly sin is fear. It is fear and its natural animal reaction to fight or flight that is the root cause of our failings to create a Kingdom of God on earth. This blog is dedicated to Mary the Mother of God. "
Source Material:The House of Secrets (1926 novel) by Sydney Horler bing.com
Plot Summary (Devotional‑Ready)
American heir Barry Wilding meets the charming Julie Kenmore on a ship bound for England. Upon arrival, he learns he has inherited an ancestral estate. But when he visits the house, he finds it already occupied—by an old man and Julie herself.
Strange figures lurk around the property, shadowy forces seek control of the house, and Barry is drawn into a web of hidden identities, secret experiments, and criminal schemes. As the mystery deepens, Barry must discern whom to trust, expose the darkness operating within his own inheritance, and reclaim what is rightfully his. Wikipedia
Cast Highlights
Leslie Fenton — Barry Wilding, the unsuspecting heir drawn into danger
Muriel Evans — Julie Kenmore, the mysterious woman with divided loyalties
Noel Madison — Dan Wharton, a figure tied to the criminal undercurrent
Sidney Blackmer — Tom Starr, Barry’s ally Wikipedia
Themes & Moral Resonance
1. Inheritance and Identity
Barry inherits not just a house but a moral responsibility. The film uses the “haunted inheritance” trope to explore:
What do we do with the burdens we didn’t choose?
How do we respond when our past contains hidden corruption?
2. Truth vs. Deception
The house is full of false occupants, secret motives, and hidden rooms—a visual metaphor for:
The layers of self-deception
The danger of letting evil occupy what belongs to the good
The necessity of bringing hidden things into the light
3. Courage in the Face of Intrigue
Barry’s refusal to abandon the house mirrors the Christian call to:
Stand firm when evil tries to intimidate
Reclaim territory that darkness has unlawfully seized
Persevere even when the path is confusing or frightening
The criminals pretend to be the legitimate occupants of the house.
Barry’s insistence on his true inheritance mirrors:
Christ reclaiming the world from the “prince of this world”
The believer reclaiming their vocation from sin’s counterfeit claims
5. Evil fragments; holiness integrates.
The film’s mystery is a tangle of:
False identities
Conflicting motives
Disjointed clues
Barry’s perseverance brings unity and coherence—a symbol of how grace restores order where sin creates chaos.
Hospitality Pairing
For a film built on secrecy, inheritance, and revelation:
Menu
Shepherd’s Pie — a humble, English comfort dish grounding the story’s London setting
Brown Bread & Butter — simple, honest food contrasting the house’s duplicity
Hot Black Tea — the classic companion for unraveling mysteries
Atmosphere
Dim lighting with one bright lamp—symbolizing the single beam of truth cutting through confusion
A small table with keys, old letters, or a pocket watch as props—evoking the inheritance theme
Closing Reflection
House of Secrets shows that evil is not defeated by panic, bravado, or cleverness but by persistent truth‑seeking, courageous presence, and rightful authority reclaimed.
Barry’s journey becomes a parable: Stand your ground, expose the darkness, gather your allies, and reclaim what God has entrusted to you.
oReady for a day full of randomness and fun? Start by simplifying your life: declutter, organize, and prioritize what truly matters. Treat yourself to some Canadian bacon and mulled wine. Show appreciation to caregivers and make someone happy. Fuel your brain with Omega-3s and try a variety of cold cuts. Embrace the Navy spirit and sing anthems. Wear a Moscow Mule mustache and speak in third person. Imagine pets with opposable thumbs and share soup with a friend. Support wildlife, listen up on World Hearing Day, and ponder the what-ifs in life. Taste all 33 flavors, honor the Missouri Compromise, and party like triplets on Tripel Day. Celebrate Bulgaria’s liberation and don’t forget the furry friends on Cats and Dogs Day. This motley mix guarantees a day full of laughter, good food, and quirky activities. So go on, mix and match these celebrations for an unforgettable and bizarrely delightful day!
Candace’s Worldwide Vineyard Tour — Willamette Valley, Oregon
Theme: Stillness, Depth, and the Interior Wilderness of Lent
🗓️ LITURGICAL CALENDAR
Tue Mar 3 — Tuesday of the 1st Week of Lent
Wed Mar 4 — Wednesday of the 1st Week of Lent
Thu Mar 5 — Thursday of the 1st Week of Lent
Fri Mar 6 — Friday of the 1st Week of Lent
Sat Mar 7 — Sts. Perpetua & Felicity
Sun Mar 8 — 2nd Sunday of Lent
Mon Mar 9 — St. Frances of Rome
🌿 OVERVIEW
The Willamette Valley is the spiritual opposite of Napa and Sonoma: cool, misty, forest‑ringed, contemplative. Perfect for the deepening of Lent — humility, silence, and interior clarity.
Pinot Noir country becomes a metaphor for subtlety, restraint, and truth.
🍇 DAILY OUTLINE
TUESDAY • MAR 3
Location: Eyrie Vineyards (eyrievineyards.com) Focus: Return to roots Act: Taste the original Oregon Pinot Noir lineage. Prompt: What is the root truth God is calling me back to?
WEDNESDAY • MAR 4
Location: St. Mary Catholic Church, Corvallis (stmarycorvallis.org) Focus: Mid‑week Lenten steadiness Act: Light a candle for perseverance.
Vineyard: Domaine Drouhin Oregon (domainedrouhin.com) Prompt: Where do I need more discipline and less noise?
THURSDAY • MAR 5
Location: Sokol Blosser Winery (sokolblosser.com) Focus: Organic clarity Act: Walk the eco‑certified vineyards. Prompt: What clutter is God asking me to clear?
FRIDAY • MAR 6
Location: Trappist Abbey of Our Lady of Guadalupe (trappistabbey.org) Focus: Silence and surrender Act: 30 minutes of silent walking on the abbey trails. Prompt: What rises in me when everything else grows quiet?
SATURDAY • MAR 7 — STS. PERPETUA & FELICITY
Location: Archery Summit (archerysummit.com) Focus: Courage and witness Act: Barrel‑cave tasting. Prompt: Where is God asking me to be brave?
SUNDAY • MAR 8 — SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT
Mass: St. Edward Catholic Church, Keizer (stedwardkeizer.org) Vineyard: Penner‑Ash Wine Cellars (pennerash.com) Focus: The mountain of Transfiguration Act: Write one place in your life where God is revealing unexpected light.
MONDAY • MAR 9 — ST. FRANCES OF ROME
Location: Brooks Wine (brookswine.com) Focus: Hospitality and hidden service Act: Quiet tasting with a journal. Word to Carry: Depth.
MARCH 3 Tuesday
in the Second Week of Lent
Chinese Lantern Festival-International Irish
Whiskey Day
Deuteronomy, Chapter 6, Verse 1-2
This then is the commandment, the
statutes and the ordinances, which the LORD, your God, has commanded that you
be taught to observe in the land you are about to cross into to possess,so that you, that is, you, your
child, and your grandchild, may FEAR
the LORD, your God, by keeping, as long as you live, all his statutes and
commandments which I enjoin on you, and thus
have long life.
Those
that fear the Lord have a great love for Him. “If you love me you will keep my commandments” (Jn. 14:15)
Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly:
immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry.
Because of these the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient. By these you
too once conducted yourselves, when you lived in that way. But now you must put
them all away: anger, fury, malice, slander, and obscene language out of your
mouths. Stop lying to one another, since you have taken off the old self with
its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed, for
knowledge, in the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew,
circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ
is all and in all.(Col. 3:5-11)
Copilot’s Take
The readings for March 3 remind us that the fear of
the Lord is not servility but ordered love. Deuteronomy ties fear directly to
teaching children and grandchildren because evil gains ground whenever fathers
stop forming their households. God’s warning is simple: if you want to survive
what you’re about to walk into, you must fear Him more than you fear the
culture around you.
The Church’s present weakness is not primarily
persecution but forgetfulness. Too many leaders speak like diplomats instead of
apostles, and too many parishes resemble wellness centers instead of outposts
of the Kingdom. When the Church loses the fear of the Lord, she inevitably
gains fear of the world, and a fearful Church will always try to appease the
very forces she is meant to resist.
The so‑called “new world order” is simply the old
pattern of empire dressed in modern clothing—technocratic control, self‑creation,
and therapeutic morality replacing truth, family, and worship. Every age
repeats the same sequence: redefine the human person, redefine the family,
redefine truth, and punish dissent. None of this is new; it is only our turn to
face it.
Paul’s command in Colossians to “put to death” the
earthly self is not moralism but strategy. A man who has not executed the
internal traitors—anger, impurity, greed, deceit—cannot confront external evil
without becoming its pawn. Renewal begins with personal holiness, and personal
holiness is the most destabilizing force in history.
So confronting evil today means radical obedience,
fearless public fidelity, and the formation of children who know the
commandments not as burdens but as boundaries of freedom. The Lantern
Festival’s celebration of light and the Irish memory of keeping the flame alive
under oppression both echo the same truth: God always preserves a remnant, and
a faithful remnant is enough to rebuild the world.
Jesus’ condemnation of religious externalism,
hypocrisy and vanity is not meant to correct only the Pharisees of his time. It
is also directed at us. We should look into our Lenten practices of piety and
works of charity and see whether they are tainted with hypocrisy. During the
celebration that follows, Christ, the servant of Yahweh, will increase in us
the spirit of human service.
The “phylacteries” mentioned in the gospel were
bands of parchment enclosed in small boxes worn on the forehead and left
fore-arm where they were fixed by straps. On these bands were inscribed the
most important texts of the Law. The “fringes” were the tassels which the Law
required to be worn at the four corners of the cloak. By wearing broad
phylacteries and long tassels the Pharisees intended to show clearly their
fidelity to the Law. —St. Andrew Missal
Prayer.
GRANT, we beseech Thee, O Almighty God, that Thy
family, who, afflicting their flesh, abstain from food, by following justice
may fast from sin.
EPISTLE. Daniel ix.
15-19.
In those days
Daniel prayed unto the Lord, saying: O Lord our God, Who hast brought forth Thy
people out of the land of Egypt with a strong hand, and hast made Thee a name
as at this day: we have sinned, we have committed iniquity, Lord, against all
Thy justice: let Thy wrath and Thy indignation be turned away, I beseech Thee,
from Thy city Jerusalem, and from Thy holy mountain. For by reason of our sins,
and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem, and Thy people are a reproach to
all that are round about us. Now, therefore, O our God, hear the supplication
of Thy servant, and his prayers: and show Thy face upon Thy sanctuary which is
desolate, for Thy own sake. Incline, O my God, Thy ear and hear: open Thy eyes,
and see our desolation, and the city upon which Thy name is called: for it is
not for our justifications that we present our prayers before Thy face, but for
the multitude of Thy tender mercies. O Lord hear: O Lord, be appeased: hearken
and do: delay not for Thy own sake, O my God: because Thy name is invoked upon
Thy city, and upon Thy people.
GOSPEL. John viii.
21-29.
At that time
Jesus said to the multitude of the Jews: I go, and you shall seek Me, and you
shall die in your sin. Whither I go, you cannot come. The Jews therefore said:
Will He kill Himself, because He said: Whither I go, you cannot come? And He
said to them: You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I
am not of this world. Therefore, I said to you, that you shall die in your
sins. For if you believe not that I am He, you shall die in your sin. They said
therefore to Him: Who art Thou? Jesus said to them: The beginning, Who also
speak unto you. Many things I have to speak and to judge of you. But He that
sent Me is true: and the things I have heard of Him, these same I speak in the
world. And they understood not that He called God His Father. Jesus therefore
said to them: When you shall have lifted up the Son of man, then shall you know
that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself, but as the Father hath taught
Me, these things I speak: and He that sent Me is with Me, and He hath not left
Me alone: for I do always the things that please Him.
Also known as the Shang Yuan Festival or the Yuan Xiao Jie
Festival, the Lantern Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday that falls
during the first month of the lunar calendar, on the fifteenth day. The
festival is a celebration of the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations and
the start of the new year. It’s a time for families to come together and enjoy
food, entertainment, and the lighting of lanterns. One of the fundamental
traditions of the Lantern Festival is the display and appreciation of colorful
lanterns as well as other activities such as fireworks displays, parades, and
traditional dance and music performances. Many people also participate in
cultural activities such as solving riddles written on lanterns or eating sweet
dumplings, called yuanxiao.
History of Lantern
Festival
The origins of the Lantern Festival can be traced back to
the Han Dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD) in ancient China. According to legend, the
festival was originally a celebration of the deity Taiyi,
who was believed to be responsible for the creation of the universe. Over time,
the festival evolved to become a celebration of the new year and the end of the
winter season.
During the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 AD), the Lantern
Festival became an important cultural event that was celebrated by people from
all walks of life as a time to pay respect to their ancestors and to pray for
good fortune in the new year.
In the modern era, the Lantern Festival is still an
important cultural event in China and is celebrated by millions of people
around the world. It is a time for celebration, reflection, and coming together
with loved ones, and is an integral part of Chinese culture and tradition.
How to Celebrate Lantern Festival
There are many ways in which people celebrate the Lantern
Festival. Some common traditions and activities include:
Displaying and
Appreciating Lanterns
People display lanterns of all shapes and sizes, often in
the form of parades or displays. The lanterns are made from a variety of
materials, including paper, silk, and metal, and come in a wide range of shapes
and sizes. Some lanterns are shaped like animals or objects, while others are
simple round or cylindrical shapes.
Lighting Lanterns
Many people also light lanterns as part of the festival
celebrations. These lanterns can be small handheld lanterns or larger lanterns
that are suspended in the air. In some cases, people release lanterns into the
sky as a symbol of letting go of the past and welcoming the future.
Solving Riddles
Some lanterns may have riddles written on them, and people
try to solve these riddles, which is seen as a fun and interactive way to
celebrate the holiday.
Eating Traditional Foods
The Lantern Festival is also a time for people to enjoy
traditional foods, such as yuanxiao, a type of sweet
dumpling made from glutinous rice flour. Other traditional foods that are often
eaten during the festival include tangyuan (sweet rice
balls) and other sweet treats.
Enjoying Performances
The Lantern Festival is often accompanied by performances
of traditional Chinese music and dance, as well as other forms of entertainment
such as acrobatics and theater.
Fireworks Displays
In some areas, fireworks displays are an important part of
the Lantern Festival celebrations. These displays are often elaborate and
spectacular, and are enjoyed by people of all ages.
Irish Whiskey Day was created by international whiskey
writer Stuart McNamara. Although Stuart writes about whiskey (sometimes spelled
“whisky”) from all over the world, his Irish upbringing means that he has a
special love and respect for Irish Whiskey in particular. This led to him
becoming the editor of IrishWhiskey.Com, the Irish Whiskey Trail and the Dublin
Whiskey Trail.
Stuart became concerned at the way that Irish Whiskey was
being marketed outside Ireland by irresponsible marketers as a shots type
drink. It bothered him that people partook of the precious drink without any
recognition of the amazing degree of science, art, history, heritage, nature
and culture which is the backbone of every single glass of Irish Whiskey or
Uisce Beatha in Irish Gaelic.
Of particular worry to Stuart was the lack of respect for
Irish Whiskey outside of Ireland on that most Irish of days that occurs each
year – St Patrick’s Day, which is celebrated on the 17th of March.
So, Stuart created the special day and the very first
International Irish Whiskey Day was celebrated more than ten years ago. And the
date chosen was particularly significant in relation to many factors.
History of
International Irish Whiskey Day
The numeral 3 has always been of special importance in
Ireland, for a variety of reasons. The symbol of Ireland (the Shamrock) has
three leaves. The Irish flag contains three colors (green, white and orange).
And there are three types of Irish Whiskey – Single Malt, Single Grain and the
uniquely Irish Single Pot Still.
In keeping with the lucky number 3, Irish Whiskey is also
unique in that by tradition, it is triple distilled. Plus, this spirit must be
matured for 3 years in order to be considered “whiskey”, adding to the
fortuitous nature of the number three.
And so, the 3rd of March or 3/3 became the obvious choice of
date for our annual Irish Whiskey Day. It also is exactly two weeks to the day
before St Patrick’s Day which is always on 17 March, making it a perfect time
to raise awareness.
How to Celebrate
International Irish Whiskey Day
Sure, this day is a great time to raise a dram, but there’s
much more to it than just drinking! More options for celebrating this
momentous day include:
Join an Online or Live Event
Today, Irish Pubs and Whiskey Clubs located all over the
world host global online and in-person Irish Whiskey tastings, lectures, talks,
visits and other fun and educational Irish Whiskey activities each year on
March 3rd.
The idea of these events is to educate and inform their
patrons and members from all over the world on the wonder and joy of Irish
Whiskey, just in time to share their newfound Irish Whiskey knowledge and
appreciation with their own friends two weeks later on 17 March St. Patrick’s
Day.
In fact, any Pub, Restaurant or Irish Whiskey friendly venue
can create a free event and map listing for their March 3rd Irish Whiskey Day
Event, no matter where in the world they are located.
Irish Whiskey Tasting Party
Grab a few friends with discerning tastes (five to seven is
perfect) and invite them to an Irish Whiskey tasting.
Provide 4-5 varieties of Irish whiskey. Choose from:
Tullamore D.E.W. Original
Jameson Irish Whiskey
Bushmills Original
Redbreast 15 year
Teeling Single Grain Irish Whiskey
Knappogue Castle Single Malt 16 Year
It will be necessary to have enough tulip-shaped tasting
glasses for each guest to try each type of whiskey. Have a friend bring some
along or borrow from a neighbor if there might not be enough on hand.
Make sure there’s enough room temperature bottled water on
hand to dilute the drinks as well as for people to drink between tastings. Also
provide a few snacks as a palate cleanser, such as oatcakes or crackers.
Make sure each guest has a notepad so they can keep track of
their findings when tasting. Aficionados will know to use the terms Nose, Taste
and Finish. People who are newer to whiskey tasting can simply write down what
they think.
Irish Whiskey in
Entertainment
While Scotch whiskey shows up in many films, Irish Whiskey
may be just a bit more discerning. Still, for the person who is paying
attention, Irish spirits can often be found making Cameo appearances in various
films and shows, which are perfect for watching when celebrating International
Irish Whiskey Day, such as:
Mad Men, American drama series (2007-2015).
Jameson Irish Whiskey makes an appearance with Don Draper (played by John
Hamm), set in the 1960s.
Kill the Irishman, a 2011 biographical crime
film. Bushmills Irish Whiskey is shown passing through the lips of the
main character, Danny Greene (played by Ray Stevenson), a few times
throughout the film.
Out of Africa, an epic romantic film (1985).
Jameson Irish Whiskey makes a cameo appearance in this film depicting the
1937 autobiographical novel of the same name, by Isak Dinesen.
Blown Away, a 1994 action thriller where Jeff
Bridges and Tommy Lee Jones are shown tipping back a few drams of
Bushmills Irish Whiskey.
With a growing online audience each year, International
Irish Whiskey Day is playing its own small part in building a sustainable
lifelong tribe of new Irish Whiskey drinkers and aficionados. Join in the
celebration!
Bible
in a year Day 244 Susanna's
Righteousness
Fr. Mike reflects on the story of Susanna's
righteousness in the Book of Daniel. While celebrating Susanna's virtue,
Daniel's wisdom, and God's faithfulness, Father Mike also warns us that, like
the corrupt elders in the story, we too can allow our to hearts become
perverted by the things we fix our eyes on. The readings are Jeremiah 30,
Daniel 12-13, and Proverbs 16:17-20.
[3]Foley, Michael P... Drinking with the Saints: The
Sinner's Guide to a Holy Happy Hour (p. 370). Regnery History. Kindle Edition.
[4] Schultz, Patricia. 1,000 Places to See Before You
Die: A Traveler's Life List Workman Publishing Company. Kindle Edition.
[5] Sheraton, Mimi. 1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die: A
Food Lover's Life List (p. 800). Workman Publishing Company. Kindle Edition.
🎬 Women of Glamour (1937)
Starring: Virginia Bruce, Melvyn Douglas, Reginald Denny Director: Gordon Wiles
⭐ What Makes This Film Special
This is Columbia in its mid‑’30s refinement phase — polished, brisk, and built around the studio’s growing confidence in romantic melodrama softened by comedy. It’s also a fascinating echo of Ladies of Leisure (1930), but with the edges rounded by the Production Code and the emotional palette shifted from raw desperation to aspirational gentility.
Melvyn Douglas, as always, is the stabilizing center:
urbane without being aloof
emotionally available without sentimentality
a man whose decency is never performative
Virginia Bruce brings a luminous, almost aching dignity to the “showgirl with a past” archetype. She plays Gloria not as a fallen woman but as someone who refuses to let the world define her worth.
Reginald Denny adds the right amount of breezy charm, keeping the film from sinking into melodrama.
🧭 Plot in a Nutshell
Gloria Hudson (Bruce), a nightclub entertainer with a reputation she can’t quite outrun, crosses paths with wealthy artist Dick Stark (Douglas). Their connection is immediate but complicated by class expectations, social gossip, and Dick’s entanglement with the calculating Carol Coulter.
As Gloria tries to step into a better life, she discovers that love with a man from a different world requires courage — and that dignity sometimes means stepping back so the other person can see clearly.
The film moves lightly, but beneath the surface is a story about self‑respect, social barriers, and the quiet heroism of choosing the good even when it costs you.
💡 Themes
1. Class and the Illusion of Respectability
The film gently exposes how “respectability” is often a performance. Gloria’s past is judged more harshly than the manipulations of the wealthy, revealing the moral asymmetry of class.
2. The Dignity of the Outsider
Virginia Bruce plays Gloria with a moral steadiness that outshines the society people who look down on her. Her integrity becomes the film’s compass.
3. The Douglas Archetype
Douglas once again embodies the man who sees past surfaces — but only after being humbled. His arc is not about rescuing Gloria but about recognizing her worth.
4. Redemption Through Self‑Knowledge
The film suggests that love becomes possible only when each character confronts their own illusions:
Gloria’s belief that she doesn’t belong
Dick’s belief that he can live by society’s script
Carol’s belief that status can substitute for affection
🍷 A Hospitality Pairing
This film calls for something elegant but unpretentious — a nod to Gloria’s blend of glamour and groundedness.
Suggested pairing:
A dry sparkling wine (Cava or Prosecco — celebratory without pretense)
A small plate of fruit and soft cheese
A simple, candle‑lit setting that mirrors the film’s quiet yearning for beauty and belonging
This is a film best enjoyed in a reflective mood — not rushed, not distracted, but with space to appreciate the emotional gentleness beneath its studio gloss.
✨ A Spiritual Reflection
At its heart, Women of Glamour is about the truth that dignity is not bestowed by society — it is lived.
Gloria’s choices echo the spirit of Romans 12:16: “Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.”
She never demands honor; she simply lives in a way that reveals it.
Douglas’s character learns that love requires humility — the willingness to see another person as God sees them, not as society labels them.
The film becomes a quiet meditation on the holiness of seeing rightly.
Catholic Landscape: Rural France between the wars; a parish marked by spiritual indifference, grief, and quiet hostility
Plot Summary (Clean & Concise)
A young, unnamed priest arrives in the small parish of Ambricourt. He is physically frail, socially awkward, and spiritually earnest. His parishioners mock him, misunderstand him, or ignore him. He keeps a diary to make sense of his vocation, his suffering, and the silence of God.
He becomes entangled in the grief of the Count’s family—especially the Countess, who has lost a child and closed her heart to God. In a single luminous pastoral encounter, he helps her surrender her bitterness before she dies.
The priest’s own health collapses. He travels to a friend’s home, where he dies quietly, seemingly forgotten. His final words—“All is grace”—become the key to the entire film.
Catholic Moral & Spiritual Resonance
1. The Hidden Priesthood
Bresson gives us a priest who is:
mocked
misunderstood
physically broken
spiritually dry
Yet he remains faithful. His priesthood is not measured by success but by availability to grace. This is the priesthood of the Curé d’Ars, of Padre Pio, of every parish priest who labors unseen.
Lesson: Holiness is often invisible, unglamorous, and misunderstood—even by the holy person himself.
2. The Diary as Confession and Lectio
The priest’s diary is not self‑indulgence; it is:
a spiritual examen
a record of temptations
a search for God’s voice in desolation
It models the Catholic conviction that God speaks in the interior life, even when He seems silent.
3. The Countess Scene — A Masterclass in Pastoral Care
This is the film’s spiritual summit.
The priest, trembling and unsure, speaks with the Countess about her grief and bitterness. What unfolds is:
a spiritual breakthrough
a surrender of resentment
a return to trust in God
It is one of cinema’s greatest depictions of accompaniment, showing that grace often works through weakness, not strength.
4. Suffering as Participation in Christ
The priest’s stomach illness, exhaustion, and humiliation are not romanticized. They are simply there, like the Cross.
His suffering:
strips him of illusions
purifies his motives
unites him to Christ’s hidden life
Bresson refuses sentimentality. He shows the Catholic truth that grace does not remove suffering; it transfigures it.
5. “All is grace.”
The final line is the film’s theology in miniature.
It is not naïve optimism. It is:
a recognition that God wastes nothing
a surrender of self-judgment
a trust that even failure can be fertile soil
This is the spirituality of Thérèse of Lisieux, Bernanos, and the French school of holiness.
Catholic Landscape Notes
this film offers a rich French Catholic atmosphere:
rural parish life
the tension between faith and secular modernity
the legacy of French spiritual giants (Thérèse, Vianney, Bernanos)
the quiet endurance of the Church in a skeptical age
It’s a portrait of a Church wounded but alive, fragile but faithful.
Hospitality Pairing
Meal: A simple bowl of soup, a crust of bread, and a small glass of table wine Why:
The priest’s ascetic diet—often just bread soaked in wine—becomes a symbol of:
poverty
humility
Eucharistic longing
A simple meal honors the film’s spirit: nothing wasted, nothing extravagant, everything offered.
Conversation Starter:
“How do we recognize grace when it comes disguised as failure?”
Dates: March 2–9, 2026 Theme:Mississippi Gulf Coast Ordinary Time – Restoration, Rhythm & the Gentle Mercy of God Route: Key West → Biloxi → Ocean Springs → Gulfport → Bay St. Louis Style: Coastal contemplative pilgrimage, slow rhythms, Eucharistic mercy Climate Alignment: Daily highs 70–73°F (Mississippi Gulf Coast)
💰Estimated Cost Overview
Category
Estimated Cost
Lodging (7 nights)
~$720 (mid‑range coastal inns)
Food (daily meals)
~$260
Transit (flight + rental car)
~$340 (EYW → GPT + compact rental)
Symbolic extras
~$70
Total Estimate
~$1,390
🛏️Lodging Options
Biloxi: White House Hotel Bay St. Louis: Pearl Hotel
🌠 Day 1 – Monday, March 2
Location: Biloxi – Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Symbol:Mercy Begins Again Ritual Prompt: “Let God begin restoring what has worn thin.” Arrive from Key West; quiet cathedral visit + evening coastal walk. 🥗 Foodie Stop: Half Shell Oyster House (~$24)
🌊 Day 2 – Tuesday, March 3
Location: Ocean Springs – Front Beach Symbol:Rhythm Ritual Prompt: “Walk at the pace of grace.” Unhurried shoreline walk; journal on restoring healthy rhythms. 🍲 Foodie Stop: The Tatonut Donut Shop (~$12)
🌿 Day 3 – Wednesday, March 4
Location: Gulf Islands National Seashore – Davis Bayou Symbol:Renewal Ritual Prompt: “Let creation renew what the world has drained.” Boardwalk trails, marsh stillness, quiet prayer under the pines. 🥘 Foodie Stop: Aunt Jenny’s Catfish Restaurant (~$22)
🕊️ Day 4 – Thursday, March 5
Location: Biloxi – St. Michael the Archangel Church Symbol:Protection Ritual Prompt: “Stand under the wings of the Defender.” Visit the iconic fishermen’s church; pray the Prayer to St. Michael. 🍷 Foodie Stop: Mary Mahoney’s Old French House (~$32)
🌅 Day 5 – Friday, March 6
Location: Gulfport – Jones Park Pier Symbol:Steadfastness Ritual Prompt: “Hold steady in the winds of ordinary life.” Pier walk + Stations of the Cross in the open air. 🧺 Foodie Stop: Shaggy’s Gulfport Beach (~$20)
🌴 Day 6 – Saturday, March 7
Location: Bay St. Louis – Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church Symbol:Healing Ritual Prompt: “Let the Lord heal what you bring into the light.” Holy Hour + confession; quiet time in the church’s coastal garden. 🍽️ Foodie Stop: The Blind Tiger (~$26)
🌠 Day 7 – Sunday, March 8 (Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time)
Location: Bay St. Louis – Our Lady of the Gulf (Sunday Mass) Symbol:Blessing Ritual Prompt: “Receive the blessing that prepares you for the next stretch.” Sunday Mass + blog reflection: “Gulf Coast Mercy & the Restoration of Rhythm.” 🍷 Foodie Stop: 200 North Beach Restaurant (~$34)
Our loving God knew
Israel would become full of hubris and haughtiness and forget the commandments
that He enjoined them, and they needed a savior. Let us not be like the Angels
of God who fell from heaven by an act of pride and rebellion by refusing to honor
Mary the Mother of God. Let us be like unto Gabriel who on announcing the
conception of Christ said to Mary:
Let
us this day emulate Christ’s mother and ours: Mary and never weary of union
with Christ through the most Holy Eucharist. This day try to spend some time in
the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.
As
human beings, we long for connection with others, a sense that we belong to
each other. The greatest obstacle to this, many times, is that we have
difficulty trusting others. Embracing trust comes when we trust in God. Not
only are we called to trust in God, but as stewards of God’s mysteries, we are
called to be found trustworthy (1 Cor. 4:2).
How
do we navigate this course?
How
do we protect our hearts from the fears and anxieties that threaten to close
them?
St. Francis de Sales would say, “We shall steer safely
through every storm, so long as our heart is right, our intention fervent, our
courage steadfast, and our trust fixed on God.”
Copilot’s Take
The lesson from
Deuteronomy — that a people lose their way when reverence fades — applies far
beyond ancient Israel. Whenever a society forgets humility before God, it
inevitably forgets how to honor one another. The fallen angels fell through
pride; Israel stumbled through forgetfulness; and today we see similar
fractures in our civic life. The gestures we witness in public — including
leaders choosing not to participate in shared national moments — are not the
root problem but the symptom of a deeper spiritual drift. When reverence
collapses, unity collapses with it. When fear of the Lord diminishes, fear of
one another grows. The cultural atmosphere begins to mirror the interior
disorder of a people who no longer stand together before something greater than
themselves.
This is why Lent presses
us back into humility, Eucharistic union, and trustworthy friendship. Evil
isolates; grace gathers. Pride fractures; reverence heals. The way forward is
not outrage or analysis but conversion — beginning with our own hearts. A nation
cannot be healed by political attendance but by spiritual alignment. When we
return to the fear of the Lord, honor Mary as Gabriel did, and anchor ourselves
in the quiet strength of the Eucharist, we become the kind of people who can
rebuild trust, restore communion, and confront evil not with noise but with
holiness. The public sphere will always reflect the spiritual condition of its
people; therefore, the most powerful civic act is the interior one: a heart
right with God.
Monday of the Second
Week of Lent
GRANT, we beseech Thee, O
Almighty God, that Thy family, who, afflicting their flesh, abstain from food,
by following justice may fast from sin. Through Jesus. Amen.
EPISTLE.
Daniel ix. 15-19.
In those days Daniel
prayed unto the Lord, saying: O Lord our God, Who hast brought forth Thy people
out of the land of Egypt with a strong hand, and hast made Thee a name as at
this day : we have sinned, we have committed iniquity, Lord, against all Thy
justice : let Thy wrath and Thy indignation be turned away, I beseech Thee,
from Thy city Jerusalem, and from Thy holy mountain. For by reason of our sins,
and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem, and Thy people are a reproach to
all that are round about us. Now, therefore, O our God, hear the supplication
of Thy servant, and his prayers: and show Thy face upon Thy sanctuary which is
desolate, for Thy own sake. Incline, O my God, Thy ear and hear open Thy eyes,
and see our desolation, and the city upon which Thy name is called: for it is
not for our justifications that we present our prayers before Thy face, but for
the multitude of Thy tender mercies. O Lord, hear: O Lord, be appeased: hearken
and do:delay not for Thy own sake, O my God: because Thy name is invoked upon
Thy city, and upon Thy people.
GOSPEL.
At John viii. 21-29.
AT that time Jesus said to the
multitude of the Jews: I go, and you shall seek Me, and you shall die in your
sin. Whither 1 go, you cannot come. The Jews therefore said: Will He kill
Himself, because He said: Whither I go, you cannot come? And He said to them:
You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this
world. Therefore, I said to you, that you shall die in your sins. For if you
believe not that I am He, you shall die in your sin. They said therefore to
Him: "Who art Thou? Jesus said to them: The beginning, Who also speak unto
you. Many things I have to speak and to judge of you. But He that sent Me is
true : and the things I have heard of Him, these same I speak in the world. And
they understood not that He called God His Father. Jesus therefore said to them
: When you shall have lifted up the Son of man, then shall you know that I am
He, and that I do nothing of Myself, but as the Father hath taught Me, these
things I speak : and He that sent Me is with Me, and He hath not left Me alone
: for I do always the things that please Him.
Count Charles of Flanders
was called "the good" by the people of his kingdom. They named him
for what they found him to truly be. He was the son of St. Canute, king of
Denmark. Charles was just five years old when his father was murdered in 1086.
When Charles grew up, he married a good young woman named Margaret. Charles was
a mild and fair ruler. The people trusted him and his laws. He tried to be an
example of what he expected the people to be.
Some nobles accused
Charles of unjustly favoring the poor over the rich. He answered kindly,
"It is because I am so aware of the needs of the poor and the pride of the
rich." The poor of his realm were fed daily at his castles.
Charles ordered the
abundant planting of crops so that the people would have plenty to eat at
reasonable prices. Some wealthy men tried to hoard grain to sell at very high
prices. Charles the Good found out and forced them to sell immediately and at
fair prices. An influential father and his sons had been reprimanded by Charles
for their violent tactics. They joined the little group of enemies who now
wanted to kill him.
The count walked every
morning barefoot to Mass and arrived early at the Church of St. Donatian. He
did this in a spirit of penance. He longed to deepen his own spiritual life
with God. His enemies knew that he walked to church and also that he prayed often
alone before Mass. Many people who loved Charles feared for his life. They
warned him that his walks to St. Donatian could lead to his death. He replied,
"We are always in the middle of dangers, but we belong to God." One
morning, as he prayed alone before the statue of Mary, his attackers killed
him. Charles was martyred in 1127.
—Excerpted from Holy
Spirit Interactive
Patronage: counts; Crusaders; diocese of Burges, Belgium
Symbols and
Representation: nobleman with a purse and a sword;
depicted after his martyrdom in the cathedral; sword
I went to Bruges with my family when I was
stationed in Belgium, I believe I was in this church.
Bible in a
year Day 243 The
Lord’s Plans
Fr. Mike highlights verse 11 from Jeremiah 29:
"I know the plans I have for you...plans for welfare and not for evil, to
give you a future and a hope." Since we know God is a good Father, we too
can count on this promise and know that God has a plan for each of us. The
reading are Jeremiah 28-29, Daniel 10-11, and Proverbs 16:13-16.
A Jewish Holiday which commemorates Jewish people
being saved from extermination in Persia. The story of Purim comes from
the Biblical book of Esther. In it, Haman a high-ranking advisor to King
Ahasuerus sought to kil all Jews in ancient Persia. He is motivated by an
incident in which Mordechai, a Jewish leader, defied the king's orders and
refused to bow to Haman. Haman is stopped through the actions of Mordechai and
his niece Esther, a beautiful and courageous Jewish woman. Esther initially
disguises her Jewish Identity and eventually becomes Queen. Through their
actions the King becomes aware of Haman's plot and is persuaded to have him
hanged.
Purim Facts & Quotes
·Purim
is considered to be a joyous Holiday often accompanied by celebrations, plays,
festive food and costume parties.
·Purim
holiday is often preceded by fast, referred to as the Fast of Esther.
This fast commemorates Esther's three days of fasting in preparation for
her meeting with the king. The fast is observed from dawn until dusk on
the eve of Purim.
·The
story of Purim is told in the book of Esther, which is also known as "the
Scroll" (Megillah in Hebrew).
·If
I have found favor with you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty, grant me
my life - this is my petition, and the life of my people - this is my request.
(Esther 7:3)
Purim Top Events and Things to Do
·Make
a Mishloach Manot (also known as mishloach manos or
shalach manos). This is a gift of at least two kinds of food that are
ready to eat. Give them out to neighbors, friends and associates.
·Make
Hamantaschen cookies. These are pocket triangle
shaped cookies that are often made with fruit, poppy seed or cheese filling.
·Attend
a Purim Carnival or Festival. Some of the more popular
ones are the Carnival at Mamilla (Jerusalem) and Cirque Du Purim in
Minneapolis.
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