An Interesting Photograph

This is an AP photograph following Pope Francis' gifts of coal and switches to the cardinals on Christmas Eve. I do not recognize the cardinal to the center right in the photo, but slightly to the back and right, it appears to be Cardinal Bernard Law. He does not look pleased.

This Does Not Need A Comment...Anyhow...Merry Christmas

Solstice From Four Years Ago...December 21, 2010

Here's a the link to that post. The questions at the end still seem relevant to Advent.

Previous Post -- Solstice -- December 21, 2010

Here are the questions without the need to go to the old blog post.

The questions she asks are these:  "In what ways am I hibernating, turning inward, and resting at this time? What new ray of insight am I looking for, to guide me in the coming year? What's being born in me in the dark season, to be sheltered for a while and brought forth in the spring season? Solstice meditations can feed the year ahead."

A Christmas Miracle...Vatican Calls For Truce With The US Nuns

Here is one more result of the Francis' effect on the Roman Catholic Church.

The final report on the Religious Sisters was released today after five years of investigation by the Vatican which was prompted by the sisters' involvement in social issues. The language was conciliatory and praised the sisters' work. It reversed the direction from what seemed like the nuns were going to be taken over by the men of the Vatican.

Sister Sharon Holland at the conclusion of the article in the New York Daily News says of Pope Francis leadership: "I'm willing to give him all sorts of credit."

New York Daily News Article On The Final Document On The Investigation Of The US Sisters

Finland Latest Country To Recognize Marriage Equality...Sometimes You Have To Read The Comments...

The Story And Picture From Box Turtle Bulletin

The picture made Finland look romantic enough to me to make me think: "I'd like to go there."  On second thought: "It's probably too cold." Then I read the comments that indicated the picture accompanying the article was not Finland.

A commentator suggested the writer skipped past the pictures of Tom of Finland and picked the first spectacular scene and landscape that "google" provided for Finland. The consensus is the picture for the article is not Finland.

For this post, here is one of Tom of Finland's drawings. Maybe Finland wouldn't be so cold.