Monday Matters #29 LAST ONE!! NOOOOO!!!!

Last post guys!!

Well, these past few posts have been mostly about current news that I am individually interested in. As a Catholic, I am in love with the traditions of the Church: the incense, the Latin, the art, music, and vestements.

I am especially passionate about music written for the Church during the Renaissance music, and gregorian Chant. This was the music that the Saints listened too, and has converted many people. Unfortunately, the past 50 years have been a great decline in the Church, with less priests, less nuns, less church-goers, and bad music from the 80s. There has to be a reform of the reform!! We need to bring tradition back, because right now, we aren't in good condition, and if we want to save souls, we have to bring beauty. As Pope Benedict XVI said,

The only really effective apologia for Christianity comes down to two arguments, namely the saints the Church has produced and the art which has grown in her womb.

If the Church is to continue to transform and humanize the world, how can she dispense with beauty in her liturgies (and in all of her life) that beauty which is so closely linked with love and with the radiance of the Resurrection? No. Christians must not be too easily satisfied. They must make their Church into a place where beauty–– and hence truth–– is at home. Without this the world will become the first circle of hell. 

Cardinal Ratzinger (1993), Ratzinger Report

Monday Matters #28

Catholics Left and Right Find Common Ground Opposing Death Penalty

Since the beginning of Christianity, the Catholic Church has been in favor of the death penalty. Only recently, the Church has taken a much more Liberal stance against the death penalty. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it is strictly prohibited, but only allowed for self-defense purposes.

Studies by Mr. Coday, working with the New York Times, has given interviews to see how many Catholics are for an against it. Trad Cats are more in favor of it, referencing writings of St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, and even Pope Pius XII.

The studies show that mildly conservative Catholics and more Liberal Catholics, agree that Capital Punishment is up in the list of no no's with Abortion and Euthanasia.

It is interesting to see how there is a separation, where traditionalists do not accept the new. The orders for example that do only the Mass in Latin, the way they did it before Vatican II Council. This is all a very beautiful tradition, and is very sacred, but it lacks the new and old balance.

Hopefully, Liberal Catholics and Traditionalists will connect into one, because to be honest, the more Pope Francis, I smell a schism sprouting among the Cardinals. :(

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/28/us/catholics-on-left-and-right-find-common-ground-opposing-death-penalty.html?_r=0 

Monday Matters #27

Pope: Kids need values, hope from teachers; teachers need better pay

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/briefs/cns/20150316.htm#head9

A strong proponent of social welfare, Pope Francis recently said in an interview that teachers, are tools to which students excel in life. 

Teachers do a lot of things, and they give their students values. 

No one is like a teacher, who constantly gives as much love, and compassion towards their students. 

For this, they should be getting payed better. 

Monday Matters #26

http://news.stanford.edu/news/2015/february/stabat-mater-memchu-022515.html

Stanford students discover an 18th-century music treasure in Green Library

How fascinating!! This article tells of the first performance in over 300 years of Durante's edition of the Stabat Mater. 

There have been many editions of it by Palestrina, Monteverdi, and Haydn. It was performed on Thursday February 26 at Memorial church. 

This is very historic because Durante was very very popular during his time, yet his student, Pergolesi, was the one whose Stabat Mater gained popularity. 

Monday Matters #25

Massive Improvement in the Sistine Chapel Choir


In the past few years, many recordings have come out of the Sistine Chapel Choir, which has always been the choir to sing at Papal Masses. One would expect the Catholic Church's Choir to be an amazing, angelic choir, but unfortunately, the lower male voices have been too operatic at Mass, which is suppose to be a solemn liturgy.

Singing Renaissance Polyphony is very hard to do, because it requires an angelic, smooth voice, not annoying and overly operatic.

Something happened recently, where the sound has been improving a lot!! Nobody knows why!! But it surely is giving a smile to those music critics listening to the Papal Musical tradition that has been going on since the early Renaissance!!

http://www.chantcafe.com/2015/02/massive-improvement-from-sistine-chapel.html

Monday Matters #24

In the issue concerning Islam, and the whole ISIS conundrum, I am leaning towards the more conservative side. I understand that not all Muslims are bad, and a few are nice people, but I have seen writings in the Quaran that command the killing of infidels, calling them pigs. The media, actually is not making fun of the Muslim Faith, because they know Muslims will fight about it and will do something about it. The media, in fact, is NOT afraid to talk garbage about the Catholic Church, because they know Catholics will not get violent about it. I feel that the media in general, Conservative or Liberal, hates Catholicism because of its morals, and that it seems too "mean", and "unmerciful". 

Monday Matters #23

Which is more factual?

Many of us might either lean to the left or right of the American political spectrum, but both sides seem to exaggerate their own opinions on certain issues.

In the conservative news, muslims are seen as a dangerous religion, in which tolerance and a resolution is almost impossible. This might be more opinionated more than usual. But one has to admit that Islam has not been a peaceful faith as a whole for the past 1500 years.

The liberal media seems to defend the 'peaceful' Islam as a separate faith from the ISIS extremist Islam. They mention scripture from the Q'uaran, and show how unfaithful ISIS is acting.

However, both sides are flawed. Not all muslims are bad. And no, there are a lot of books in the Koran that say it is ok to 'cleanse' the infidels. So ultimately, none are more factual!! 

Monday Matters #22

Islam not compatible with ISIS actions

• ISIS, a Muslim extremist group, recently burned a Jordanian pilot alive
• According to Islamic scholars, burning is wrong in the Quaran
• ISIS gave a counter video, showing Muslims where it says it is ok to burn. 
• The official Islamic Scholars Association, has made a statement where according to Muslim teaching, it is unlawful to burn someone, or even cremate one after death. 
• ISIS is clearly widening the gap between true Islam and extremist barbarianism. 
• This is hurting Muslims.
• Which is a religion of peace 

Monday Matters #21

The mainstream media's reporting of Muslim Extremism

• Most of the media has a liberal bias
• Catholics are being talked about negatively
• Three reasons media hates the Church
• It is against Abortion
• It is against gay rights
• It is against women priests
• Liberals try to find every opportunity to bash on the Church
• While Islam, is shown as the victim in America. 
• The liberal media portrays America as the bad oppressor of muslims. 
• In general, Islam is a very intolerant religion. 

http://www.foxnews.com/transcript/2015/01/13/mainstream-media-reporting-islamic-extremism/

Monday Matters #20

Jonathan Kozol talks about children and education in America;

• Children are equal in the eyes of God, but not in America's eyes for some reason
• Children are brought up as if they have price tags
• Inner city schools: not enough attention for students, individually
• While Suburban areas have more time, and balanced. 
• Teachers are scared in city for the test time and scores
• NO TIME!!
• Kids are good at distracting the teacher from the relevant topic
• The teacher has to unlock what the student loves, fears, hates, for their own well-being
• The student must grow beyond themsleves!!

Monday Matters #19

How Schools Kill Creativity by Sir Ken Robinson

I actually used this video within my research for the Education paper: 

Ken Robinson explains how schools kill creativity, instead of fostering it:

• Children are born with creativity
• Sitting in the desk, no active participation, looses creativity
• Students are limited in their creativity to what they have to learn
• No freedom for the child
• “It seems like the purpose of Public education is to create University professors, as if they are the high point of human achievement...they are just another form of life.”(Robinson)
• It seems that the present educational system revolves around the university, making it the “temple” of all human achievement.

http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity?language=en

Monday Matters #18

Connecticut Educator: The keys to success in US Education

• US education needs to be improved
• Through INNOVATION
• Through INVESTMENT
• Go away from typical factory worker education
• Make an education that is student centered. 
• Change focus
• Democratically, make public education for all
• Sadly, rich get more funding. Poor get less
• Needs to change

http://jonathanpelto.com/2015/01/03/letter-teacher-instead-guest-post-dr-jeannette-faber/

Monday Matters #17

The great part about this cartoon is that it enfolds the idea, and sort of truth, that looking into colleges is a hell of a bore and anxiety. The truth is, most colleges you realistically want to attend, will accept you. Of course within your limits. This cartoon effectively "scares" the audience of a "beast under the bed", when it is really all in our heads!! (HA!! Did you catch that rhyme??GENIUS)
bottomlycollegetours.blogspot.com

Monday Matters #16

Within the field of education, have arisen many conflicts and questions that are currently investigated. Some of these questions have been already answered. In the Monday Matters blog posts of 13-15, I researched 3 different articles on education today. All of them circled around one theme: making school better.

 The article from the Atlantic stated that STEM classes had to be put at the top of the class, because it is one of those skills that is needed in society today. According to Barack Obama, he has issued a bill, raising more money for faster internet in public schools.

This in a way can go chronologically as well. We need internet first, then we need the education, and then, as stated in the middle article, was the losening of fear of college admission. This all connects in the fact of success, by making education not something to despise, but to feel safe, comfortable, and confident in.