ANIMA. A Catholic Culture Club

12/29/2022

Happy 5th day of Christmas! St Thomas Becket, pray for us.

Check out this carol. Known as "Jesous Ahatonia" or the "Huron Carol" it is considered to be the earliest Canadian Christmas carol! It is attributed to St. Jean de Brebeuf, a Jesuit French martyr who came to evangelize New France (Quebec) in 1625. The song's origins date to c.1643 and it was translated into English in 1926 by J. Edgar Middleton.

Originally written in the Huron/ Wendat native language, the song depicts the Nativity of Christ with North American imagery.

This one is in French and English:

Vocals and arrangement by Farya Faraji. Many thanks to Luigi Alberga for having introduced me to this song. This is known as the oldest Christmas chant in Ca...

12/28/2022

Blessed feast of the Holy Innocents! And Happy 4th day of Christmas!

Since the 6th century, December 28th marks the feast of the Holy Innocents. The Church remembers the children martyred by Herod’s vengeful decree. (Matthew 2: 13-18)

“…Then Herod perceiving that he was deluded by the wise men, was exceeding angry; and sending killed all the men children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.”

We should pray today for the holy martyrs’ intercession. We should also cherish life and its dignity, and thank our Maker for it. But let’s not forget the most innocent among us in our time, especially those who are not given a chance to live.
Read more here: https://maganima.wordpress.com/2022/12/28/holy-innocents/

Painting by Guido Reni. “Massacre of the Innocents”,1611.

12/27/2022

"What is the life of a saint if not the Gospel in action? There is no more difference between the written Gospel and the life of the saints than between music written and music sung." St. Francis de Sales

12/21/2022

UPDATE: From now on this page will be dedicated to cultivating a Catholic Culture. It will be a space for local Catholics to find cultural events, resources and fellowship rooted in virtue, tradition, and the transcendentals (Truth, beauty and goodness).

We will promote local cultural events that are edifying and link other resources that might contribute to this project. These include, but are not limited to language, traditions, beliefs, music, dance, poetry, architecture, folklore, etc.

Some principles to keep in mind for contributing:

1. The greater glory of God
2. Our salvation and sanctification (becoming a saint)
3. Does it promote a virtue? Which one?
4. Is this a novelty? Has it borne good fruits overall?
5. Is it true, good and beautiful?

If you cannot answer in good conscience any one of these, then ask for a second opinion on whether it should be posted here, if no further objections then post.

More info on the project to come. For now, join the group and start cultivating!

05/18/2019

I believe most of our political disagreements derail quickly from a misunderstanding in defining the terms we argue about. Let’s not demonize each other and try to find some common ground.

https://youtu.be/8SOQduoLgRw

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/jonathan-haidt-on-the-moral-roots-of-liberals-and-conversatives Psychologist Jonathan Haidt studies the five mora...

05/03/2019

https://www.city-journal.org/faith-western-civilization

A personal reflection on why we shouldn’t abandon the faith that has nourished Western civilization

04/29/2019

This is a super valuable short doc on bookstores and the amazing habit of reading. If you have free time, I highly recommend it!!
While I truly enjoyed the video, my only objection is to the idea that there isn't a list of necessary books to read. I believe that there are books that have stood the test of time and become classics for a reason, those books are objectively better and so I would recommend that you find your greatest list of books out there. The "Great Books of the Western World" is, I believe, the best place to start. ;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIW5jBrrsS0

Bookstores have always driven me crazy. So much to read and so little time! And now with our lives chock full of CONTENT--Netlflix, podcasts, social media, Y...

04/26/2019

In defense of a contemporary and reasonable conservatism!
Speech begins at 18min.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nyw4rTywyY0&t=576s

Conservatism has all-too-often found itself unable to articulate a coherent positive doctrine. By this I mean specifically that the laudable conservative ten...

04/23/2019

A relevant and insightful view of the value placed on beauty, one that seems to have been muddied or vanished in contemporary art.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHw4MMEnmpc&t=1941s

Produzido pela BBC, este programa apresenta o filósofo Roger Scruton num provocante ensaio sobre a importância da beleza nas artes e nas nossas vidas. Scruto...

04/22/2019

A refreshing view of an often mischaracterized and yet important part of the North American culture!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsUEbN6NZr0

Are you part of the middle class? Let's look at this important community from a financial, social, and cultural angle. FOLLOW ME: 🇨🇦Support me on Patreon! ht...

02/28/2019

“Every evil weaves itself into the fabric of history, never to be undone. Yet at the same time— at the very same time— each of us gets a new soul with which to start the world again.” Andrew Klavan. The great good thing.

02/27/2019

I was and I am like many others, a lost soul in these chaotic modern times.

02/21/2019

A magazine for the arts and the ideas that make our culture the best!