Good first day of the symposium; met quite a few Orthodox who are friendly to Catholics. Also met an ex-Catholic who used to be a part of the local parish, was a extraordinary eucharistic minister and such. I didn't get her full story, but since she was talking about the beauty of the liturgy and how she was told by her [Orthodox] spiritual father that one does not need a catechism to evangelize, but merely to invite people to the liturgical services, I suspect her opinion of the typical Roman-rite Mass is rather negative.

Long day and long weekend, we'll see if I get around to adding any more posts.

Saw more than a few middle-aged Asian [beta] males buying flowers for Valentine's Day at Costco this afternoon. Will their wives appreciate it?

A Gentleman's Dignity 신사의 품격

Available on hulu. When I first read the articles about the SBS drama, I was not so keen to watch it since it was about 40something Korean men who were rather like "Peter Pans," and the drama was more "adult" than other dramas (which I understood as referring to how relationships are portrayed, with hints at pemarital sex and the like being a part of them). Still, I started watching the drama on hulu because of Kim Ha Neul.

(I have to say for a bunch of "players," the four male characters don't have much to show for it - particularly in their pick-up game dialogue. The romantic illusions of the writers? Or are things that bad in South Korea? I don't doubt there are some natural alphas in Seoul and other big cities, though.)

Soompi Forum thread on the drama

Fr. Christopher Smith on Benedict XVI's Liturgical Legacy

The Unfinished Liturgical Work of Benedict XVI

Calhoun's Place

Why Conservatives Still Share a Tent with Calhoun by Scott Galupo

The combox will probably be populated mostly by those who object and self-righteously hurl invectives against Calhoun and racism and those who dare look to Calhoun as any sort of source of political thought.

White Elephants: Are Republicans an Endangered Species?

That leaves what might be called the Calhoun option. More popular at the local level than with the national party, at least publicly, this strategy involves legal changes that would limit the influence of the coming majority, which is younger and less white. Some of these measures have been justified by concerns about widespread electoral fraud that are mostly sincere but have no empirical basis. Others are explicitly political. For example, it’s a feature, not a bug, that plans to split states’ electoral votes by congressional district give rural votes greater weight than urban ones (and we know who lives in cities).

Mark Sisson Clarifies

5 Things People Assume About Me That Are Wrong

Holy Resurrection Monastery Videos

Link More videos.

Pope Benedict XVI's Ash Wednesday Homily

The CWR Blog: The final homily of Benedict XVI’s pontificate


Zenit
Cardinal Bertone's Farewell Address to the Holy Father

Fr. Rutler: Benedict's Decision in the Light of Eternity
Peter Hitchens, Bishop of Rome Retires

Rome Reports: Ash Wednesday: Pope thankful for affection, asks for prayer for future of Church
Pope's secretary moved to tears during Mass
Benedict XVI thanks everyone during his last Mass at St. Peter's Basilica

James Howard Kunstler and Duncan Crary on The Extraenvironmentalist

Episode #56: So Much Magic (hi/lo)

More on Pope Benedict XVI

Dominicana: The Empty Chair, by Br. Henry Stephan, O.P.
Media Madness About Catholicism
Pope Benedict XVI's Musical Legacy by Jeffrey Tucker
The Debate Over the Council Continues and Quo Vadis?: The New Liturgical Movement Post-Benedict XVI by Shawn Tribe
Benedict: Last of the Heroic Generation by R. R Reno
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on Benedict
Papal Resignations by Kevin White
Benedict XVI's Last Days
The Meaning of the Pope's Gesture
Nemi: Benedict XVI’s fond memories of Vatican II
Benedict XVI’s resignation is a first for Canon Law
The Radical Return to Ratzinger by Sean Fitzpatrick



After a surprising abdication, an examination of Pope Benedict XVI's legacy
The Cycle hosts, Father Robert Barron, and NBC’s Claudio Lavanga talk about the pope’s abdication and the process of selecting his successor.

Fr. Robert Barron on the Next Pope

Key players in the conclave to choose the next Pope

Dcn. Andrei Psarev Interviews Fr. Robert Taft, S.J

Are You Part of the Problem, or Are You Part of the Solution? An Interview with Fr. Robert Taft

Habebimus Papam Novum.

The big news of the day, for Catholics. The Sarge called me at 3 in the morning to inform me what was going on, so I already knew about it when I was awoken 2 hours later by someone else regarding the same piece of news.





Pope announces he will be stepping down citing lack of strength
Vatican Radio
Sandro Magister
Catholic World Report
Catholic News Agency
CNN
NYT
Pope's Resignation Stuns Native Germany

Statement of the U.S. Anglican Ordinariate
UK Ordinariate
Metropolitan Hilarion
TAC
CUA
What was the cardinals' reaction to the Pope's announcement?
What will the Pope do when he is no longer Pope?

Zenit:
Pope Benedict XVI Announces Resignation
US Bishops Respond
UK Bishops Respond
Cardinal Angelo Sodano's Statement After Pope Announces Resignation
Cardinal Sodano: "We Are Closer to You Than Ever"
Pope's Announcement Seen as Sign of Freedom, Wisdom
Who Will Vote for the Next Pope
Vatican spokesman: Pope Benedict will not participate in the conclave to elect his successor
About.com

Some Commentary and Blog Posts:



Scott Richert
Tom Piatak
Stephen Herreid
Patrick Buchanan, Benedict's Farewell, and Christianity's?
William Fahey
Michael Brendan Dougherty
Vox
Fr. Z (more)
Pope Benedict’s Resignation in Historical Context by Donald S. Prudlo (interview with Vatican Radio)
Daniel McCarthy
Rorate Caeli
Fr. Dwight Longenecker

From 2010: Pope Benedict XVI's new devotion to Pope St Celestine V

Esquire Interview with "The Shooter"

The Man Who Killed Osama bin Laden... Is Screwed

Via Yahoo.

Dropped by STA today to check the schedule for Ash Wednesday; Fr. Augustine was the main celebrant - has he changed his schedule? It used to be the third Sunday of the month. I was also surprised to see Fr. Michael delivering the homiliy. I don't know how long he will be in town; is he on sabbatical? Or will he be returning to Fribourg soon?