By Matthew Sawczyn “Dear Lord, you died at thirty-three. I begin my life at thirty-three.” Thus prays Fr. Damien upon landing at Molokaʻi, the island where “no patient leaves except in a coffin.” The year is 1873. The terrifying, still mysterious scourge of leprosy ravages the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi, and the island of Molokaʻi has been designated as a quarantine …
Femininity and Masculinity in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’
– By Marielle Cuccinelli – Contains spoilers for all three seasons of Avatar: The Last Airbender I was skeptical the first time I started watching Avatar: the Last Airbender. There was only one girl in the main cast, after all, which is one of the top tropes out there – the Token Female Character, who not only is fated to …
A Catholic Creative’s Guide to Productivity During COVID-19
– By Maria Andress – “A guide to productivity? I need to catch a breather!” If that’s your reaction to the title, one, I don’t blame you, and two— be at peace. Most of us probably fall into the category of that meme which shows someone building the sandcastle of their entrepreneurial craftsmanship while the tsunami of Covid-19 looms devastatingly …
How to Deal with Writer’s Block
– By Marielle Cuccinelli – I’d like to start by saying I had all kinds of writers block trying to get this article moving. Seriously, as I write these first two sentences, I’ve been procrastinating for longer than I care to admit because I didn’t know what to say to start this article. So here goes just jumping in. I …
Almost There: 10 Disney Films to Help Us Through These Times
–By Sam Hendrian– When we read the news or scroll through our social media feeds, there are plenty of daily reminders that “we’re not there yet” when it comes to defeating COVID-19, so it may be therapeutic (and healthier) to instead dance to Princess Tiana singing “Almost There” in The Princess and the Frog. Or empathize with Rapunzel singing “When Will …
7 Media Resources to Keep Holy Week Holy
– By Maria Andress – There’s no denying this Holy Week will be the strangest most of us have ever known. We’ll be live streaming Triduum liturgies, making our own home altars, and trying to figure out all the ways of staying tuned into the most sacred week in the Catholic calendar from inside our own houses. Of course, no …
Meditation & Media: Finding Reflection in Troubled Times
By Matthew Sawczyn For all of us, these have been trying times. Our world is on standstill. Many are sick, or dying. Many are suffering financially. Many work tirelessly to ease the suffering of others. And most of us, thankfully, simpy wait; relatively unscathed, we nevertheless do our small part by staying at home: watching the news, counting the hours, …
My Thirty Days in the Shire
– By Maria Andress – “I am in fact A Hobbit in all but size. I like gardens, trees, and unmechanized farmlands; I smoke a pipe, and like good plain food (unrefrigerated), but detest French cooking; I like, and even dare to wear in these dull days, ornamental waistcoats. I am fond of mushrooms (out of a field); have a …
Faith in the Time of COVID-19: What To Do When Your Church Is Closed
By James Powers I’ve been in kind of a bad mood lately. I expect you’ve been in kind of a bad mood as well, and for a lot of the same reasons. We’re all in this weird limbo where everything has turned upside-down, and yet the concrete result of all this upheaval is really anticlimactic. It has most of us …
Language Love – Around the World in Oscars Gold
By Matthew Sawczyn This month, the Academy Awards marked a moment in history for Hollywood and cinema: for the first time in its ninety-two year history, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded its coveted “Best Picture” award to an entirely non-English language film, Korean writer-director Bong Joon-ho’s tragicomedy Parasite. In honor of Parasite, here are five other …