Book Log 2017 #6: Conclave by Robert Harris

Taking a break from historical fiction, in this novel Harris depicts the inside workings of a papal election, from the ceremony surrounding the process to the dirty laundry that makes leading candidates for the office fall by the wayside.

Cardinals are not allowed to talk about conclaves, and while details inevitably come out the lack of public information presents a mostly blank canvas for someone writing about a fictional one. Harris uses this canvas fairly effectively, though there are times where the book heads out towards Dan Brown territory, not always to its benefit.

There are several surprises along the way, with the largest surprise at the end of the book (one that I kind of suspected, though wasn't fully convinced). I won't say more than that about it.

Out of all of Harris's contemporary novels this is probably the one I liked the most, though I tend to like all of his historical fiction better.

Lentorama 2016: #Lent

Day 40: This blog may not be the best example

As we approach the final days of #Lent here's one final tip from #PopeFrancis: https://t.co/DtzYHuvOTc pic.twitter.com/g011d3mQfk

— Catholic Charities (@CathCharitiesNY) March 25, 2016

PSA for Catholic Charities aside, I thought the idea of putting faith into action was a good one to end on. Not that I have much faith (at least in the church as an institution), and blogging isn't much of an action (especially as most, if not all, of these posts are done after the fact and back-dated). But I hope there was at least one point where the four of you who've been reading these posts had a laugh or a thought got provoked. And I hope you'll be back for Lentorama 2017: Lenten Observers of Instagram. 

Lentorama 2016: #Lent

Day 39: Wait, what?

Hey #Catholics Yesterday was the last day of #Lent!
You can start eating chocolate & drinking again.

— MimZWay (@MimZWay) March 25, 2016

OK, this has always confused me, but if this article is accurate I get why Lent apparently ended yesterday but I'm only on day 39 of this thing. In short, Lent as a liturgical season ends on Holy Thursday, when we start the Easter Triduum. But the Lenten fast continues through the Triduum. So you may want to put that chocolate down, at least for another day or two.

Lentorama 2016: #Lent

Day 38: Now you tell me!

#Lent prayer

For more: https://t.co/Rx6I4xp8Qc pic.twitter.com/EllfioVavw

— Franciscan Media (@FranciscanMedia) March 24, 2016

 

Lentorama 2016: #Lent

Day 37: A timely question

It is never easy to reach out to those who wish us harm.  What would Jesus do? John 13: 21-32  #Lent

— John Sentamu (@JohnSentamu) March 23, 2016

I don't know the answer, but I'm going to guess that "have an armed police presence at all times in certain neighborhoods" isn't it.  

Lentorama 2016: #Lent

Day 36: Curious under what theory of pedagogy this is acceptable

DB will be CLOSED on Holy Thursday, March 24 because we met our goal in the canned food drive! Great job everyone and thank you! #Lent

— Bishop DuBourg HS (@BishopDuBourg) March 22, 2016

The flip side, then, is failure to meet the canned food drive goal is punished by more learning. That seems like a solid lesson to teach the kids.  

Lentorama 2016: #Lent

Day 35: is anyone going as the donkey?

Aside from getting a last-minute badge for #FurMore16, my first commish priority for once #Lent is over is getting a group-sing pic w/ Ara

— Sky the 'More 16! (@skynero19) March 21, 2016

I didn't expect to find a tweet that combined Lent and a furry convention in Virginia, but here we are. I'd like to see how the circles on the Venn diagram intersect on these groups.

Lentorama 2016: #Lent

Day 34: At least there's no comparison to hairstyles

Over at @HuffPostRelig with my latest post: The Politics of Palm Sunday#palmsunday#lenthttps://t.co/o18AWXYWdj

— Chris Gilmore (@iamchrisgilmore) March 19, 2016

A piece that compares Jesus to Donald Trump, in an indirect way. More on point than expected. 

Lentorama 2016: #Lent

Day 33: They pulled off the tricky double asshole

Bacon always smells the best on Fridays in #Lent. Join the #CalltoPrayer intention to your fasting today! pic.twitter.com/rcWOL6ezeN

— USCCB Marriage (@MUR_USCCB) March 18, 2016

So this is the Twitter account for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops initiative to "defend" marriage. I've awarded them the double asshole for the following:

Assholery the First: the crack about bacon always smelling the best on Lenten Fridays. You're the people who keep us from eating bacon in the first place, why rub our noses in it?

Assholery the Second: the use of the term "religious liberty" on the attached image. Look, if the church wants to oppose same sex marriage, so be it. But to somehow say that religious liberty is at stake simply because same sex marriage exists - when the church is in no way required to solemnize or recognize such marriages - is asinine. We've had same sex marriage in Massachusetts for over a decade, and in no way has my liberty to worship been infringed. Make your argument on positive theological points, not reliance on some PR phrase that's turned into a thinly veiled code for bigotry.

Lentorama 2016: #Lent

Day 32: I expected more from you, Twitter!

I'm not trying to start anything but..  Lol #lent #leprachaun #saintpatricksday #beer #green… https://t.co/vQTKE2fIRn

— Worthy Woman (@womenare_worthy) March 17, 2016

OK, it may be my primitive Twitter search skills, but I expected, many tweets about not being able to drink on St. Patrick's Day. But I found very few. This was my favorite.

Lentorama 2016: #Lent

Day 31: I don't make saints, but if I did there'd be a samurai

Samurai, Martyr, Soon a Saint: Dom Takayama Justo https://t.co/BRpSyzsVBA move over Mother Theresa for the Samurai Saint! #Catholic #Lent

— Monk(ish) Habits (@MonkishHabits) March 16, 2016

Really not much to do with Lent other than the timing of the announcement, but how can you pass up posting about a samurai saint?

Lentorama 2016: #Lent

Day 30: Remind Him to clean around the baseboards this time

Consider sin like the messiest room in your house, then sit down and have a little conversation with Jesus. #Lent. #40Days. #Reconciliation.

— St. Bernard L.A. (@stbernardla) March 15, 2016

Lentorama 2016: #Lent

Day 29: Here's your Netflix lineup for Holy Week

If you're in the mood for some reflective movie-watching this #Lent, why not revisit our Seven Deadly Sins on Film? https://t.co/q1I2givtaL

— Thinking Faith (@ThinkingFaith) March 14, 2016

 

Lentorama 2016: #Lent

Day 28: I'm guessing the first reminder is rhetorical

#Lent reminds me I'm not #Jesus and I'm not perfect. pic.twitter.com/DGqLXd1PNE

— Pat Durham (@PatDurhamAuthor) March 12, 2016

The second reminder, though, is something we can all use from time to time. 

Lentorama 2016: #Lent

Day 27: "Knot bread" - you get it?

Did you know that the pretzel is a traditional food for #Lent? See why from @CatholicIcing: https://t.co/2MahfLKl7r pic.twitter.com/MMjFs2qRnX

— Catholic Review (@CatholicReview) March 11, 2016

I guess this means I should stop eating waffle pretzels for the next few weeks? 

Lentorama 2016: #Lent

Day 26: I assume there will be no windows of Mercy once the doors are closed

Our #lentwordsofmercy today are from @BishopDNulty of @KANDLEi #lent pic.twitter.com/ikGTcAoC82

— CatholicBishops (@CatholicBishops) March 10, 2016

So this is a Jubilee Year of Mercy, of which one of the symbols is the opening of a door of mercy, such as they Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica. Walking through such a door is supposed to have some sort of spiritual benefit, so if you're so inclined, here's a list of all the holy doors in the US.

Lentorama 2016: #Lent

Day 25: Probably no Easter egg hunts in this one

Praying the Movies for #Lent: Reflection on #TheYoungMessiah https://t.co/SSunJwrWZB pic.twitter.com/AJApppH2Yi

— Marie Paul Curley (@SisterMPaul) March 9, 2016

The targeted marketing for this movie has been interesting. Whenever I've seen an ad on cable, it's included positive blurbs from well known conservative sources like Focus on the Family, Hugh Hewitt, and... Kathie Lee Gifford? The ads on local TV only include blurbs from one person: Sean Cardinal O'Malley. Know your audience, I suppose.

Lentorama 2016: #Lent

Day 24: in case you want to coordinate with your priest.

What do the purple and pink mean again? #Lent https://t.co/YiiwbqyBQg @acatholicherald pic.twitter.com/UyQNy7dsr2

— Arlington Diocese (@arlingtonchurch) March 8, 2016

While not as interesting/funny as the unique haberdashery of the Catholic church, this explanation of the liturgical colors is a pretty good basic explanation of when what color is worn and why.  

Lentorama 2016: #Lent

Day 23: or Day 1 if you live in Cairo

First day of #Lent in #Coptic #Orthodox calendar. Praying it is a blessed time of spiritual growth preparing for Glorious Resurrection Feast

— Bishop Angaelos (@BishopAngaelos) March 7, 2016

So while Christians in the west have been dealing with a lack of coffee and meat on Fridays for about three weeks, Orthodox Christians are just getting started. Everyone uses the same starting point to determine when to start figuring out when Easter is, but not the same calendar - western Christians use the Gregorian calendar (the same one we use day to day), while Orthodox use the Julian calendar. Without going into details, this alters the calculations enough that the dates can be, like this year, more than a month apart.

But then there's next year, when they're on the same date. Time is hard.

Lentorama 2016: #Lent

Day 22: Note: actual refreshments not served

Did you know? The fourth Sunday of #Lent is known as #LaetareSunday - "Rejoice, O Jerusalem!" pic.twitter.com/HUVUhKCm1g

— Archdiocese of TO (@archtoronto) March 5, 2016