In the darkest of times...where people keep faith in God they will find hope he placed in our hearts by the same God to do the works of charitas needed to build a foothold of his kingdom on earth, and earn entrance to his kingdom in eternal life.
If we loose the faith...the darkest of times becomes a very dark eternity without hope, and a complete isolation of self from others and our creator.
-ehw
God blesses us from time to time with people in our lives who call us out and inspire us to new heights of growth. My son, and family, were blessed to know Father Austin Fogarty at St. Thomas Aquinas Church from 2012 until his death. My Kevin would never allow Father Austin to leave the church without a high five during the procession. In 2016, two years after Father passed, my son went to cry some more at his graveside.
It was therefore a great deal of happiness yesterday, we were able to enjoy a good bit of Father Austin's handiwork at St. George Parish in Newnan, Georgia. Based on what Father did at St. Thomas Aquinas to repair and beautify the sanctuary, we could feel his handiwork all over the church. We even found notes to the parish sacristan with reminders for care of chalices with his name on it.
It made me ponder how our material works can still help the living after our passing. I realize we cannot take anything material with us beyond the grave. However, if what we build with our hands and hearts is rooted in God's Law we can leave a living memorial capable of inspiration far beyond our death to generations beyond. I know this was true here, because my Kevin shed no tears yesterday. He instead marveled at the works of this fatherly priest, and how he urged him to live a life for Christ.
So today we will pray for our beloved friend and priest, Father Austin Fogarty. I pray he finds himself wrapped in the love of Jesus, at rest from his pains endured here on earth. While we miss you, we will not let that selfishness keep us from living as you asked us to here on earth with the people of God.
We Catholics witness today a sad turning point in out church history. We are looking at a demographic cliff of dying churches, and a youth which overwhelmingly not staying home in the church. The ability I had to swing into a local church for a Rosary, in a town not my own, in the presence of the Lord in Adoration may not be available to my children. I saw today a glimpse of hope I the church I visited today...one sixty plus parishioner, one 50 something, a 19-20 year old young man, and me Mr. Middle Aged man all sat together in the chapel. This was an encouraging mix to be part of for a Rosary.
On this trip I did find hope, as I met men living lives full of charitable work (done in God's name not theirs) all searching for better understanding of God's law. It reminded me, even though in the course of human events matters may appear bleak...if we pray for and believe in the supernatural power of God we may yet be surprised in how the world can turn to hear his word again. I know this does not avail me of my duties to evangelize, but it gives me faith to redouble my devotion and duty to live the word I deed.
-ehw
Over the last few years I found myself learning more and more of my faith...yet with each lesson I realized my understanding of faith is barely out of its infancy. I can grasp a concept, but to know the precise details will escape me for many years to come. I am not worried though, it just means each day I can explore a little more. I also take heed of St Thomas Aquinas vision...what we understand and can percieve here can do no justice to what the reality of what the Divine Law really is.
So if we can only see a glimpse of heaven in anything we think or create, I think religious art should reflect that. Eastern Rite Catholic churches have incredible icons which follow this very basic premise. What we see is not to be hyper realistic, but rather a starting point to enter the mystery presented. From this entry point in meditation, you can explore the rest of the story and its application in your life and its journey towards heaven.
Take this photo for example. A hyper realistic photo here would draw no interest. It was washed out, a simple statue in front of a church. There was however much more to its story if you cared to look for it. In the editing I found the amazing light and shadow contrast. I vignetted the photo to draw the eyes into my message, I knew the subject matter was an angel or a messenger of God and it just fit. I removed some color to make it timeless, since angels are timeless creatures. The contrast of the man made wall and green plants made me think of the leading Rosary mystery of that Friday...Mary why do you look here in a tomb for the living?
The scene before me became the pathway to a deeper meditation on something far bigger than I will ever be able to comprehend on earth through the creation of and review of Catholic religious art. One added bonus in all of this was I needed to quiet my mind to the world's distractions to see this. In the silence, is where God can speak to our souls, and where we need to spend some of our time each day. So I got my silence, my thought and my created art.
This is what making and viewing Catholic religious art should do for you...at least from my little spot on this earth.
-ehw
John Paul
Things going a little crazy right now? Election got you in a funk? Well how about a dose of happiness? This is John Paul's version of a pick you up smile!
Catching babies and children is a hard task, but a little flash and quick thinking help. In this case John Paul was happy since he was on a swing, and making it go very very fast. The flash caught the action in freeze frame where it counted most: the eyes. The flash also put a sparkle in the eyes which gives you a sense of life in a frozen frame. His natural smile completes the moment without the typical childhood squint and cheese.
This is what great family portraits are all about...making art where the going is rough!
First sunrise shot in about ten years!
Back in June I was able to get up to the mountains of North Georgia. It was hot, but a good time to explore a little of more of the state. One opportunity I received was the gift of an early rising to meet the sun. Watching the earth go from black through its purples, reds, orange and full daylight was a simple pleasure. What a gift from God!!
-ehw
Still working on some of my images from Helen, Georgia. We had a fantastic time there, and I would recommend it as a great place for a family trip. After living in Germany, and traveling through Bavaria, the facade was fun to experience. I often wondered what America would look like with some German architecture, well now I know the effect of mixing the two building codes. The most important three things about the town though were: the people were very nice, the recreation readily available, and the ladies loved our John Paul (and he loved them).
With this final point made...I can say it was fun and could be visited yet again!
-ehw
The path to Anna Ruby Falls
As three of us (Carrie, John Paul and I) walked up the trail to Anna Ruby Falls I could not help but think of my son Kevin. Almost every time we are out in the woods he says,"God made nature, and I like it." Kevin, at the tender age of nine, recognizes God imprinted his law on us through natural law. He "gets it" better than most of us much older folks. I just wish the politicians would go back and read the Declaration of Independence, and learn the founders state all laws must conform to natural law (or nature's God) to be just.
Many people today, afraid to be labeled religious or tied to a group, call themselves "spiritual." They find their way on their own through the forrest of life. If they are attentive to natural law, and heed it, they have great potential to make good choices in their moral lives. The problem with just finding your "own way" though the forrest, is your experiences are very narrow. So the chance for misinterpreting a sign is higher than if you had advice on reading the signs as you approach a rattlesnake habitat. If you stumble and the snake strikes, no one will be there to hear your cry. There is also nothing supernatural to sustain your body and soul in this earthly journey if you go it alone.
In this photo I purposefully left the trail in the shot. I did this because as I thought of Kevin's statement, I was also thinking of the peace which comes from growing ever more into a Catholic life. The trail stood out in my viewfinder. With each glance I found a reminder of how God also gave us so much more than natural law. He gave us a path of safety through the dangerous forrest of life, and a means to walk it. All we need to do is use the path and his grace to avoid the greatest dangers of the forrest.
I revel in the knowledge I do not have to be Solomon, Thomas Aquinas, Teresa of Avila or John Paul II to survive in the forrest. I just have to turn to the collective wisdom imparted over almost 6,000 years through revelation and illumination of God's laws to my church and the world! Being the thinker I am, I fall more in love with the Catholic magisterium as each new lesson clicks into place like custom made Lego blocks in a slick design. I know this magisterium is stronger than the efforts of fallible men who may try to twist it to their own political designs.
Not only do we Catholics have the lessons, but we can receive supernatural graces pouring forth from sacraments. God cleanses in baptism, restores with mercy in confession, nourishes at communion, sanctifies matrimony and holy orders, and comforts in anointing of the sick. So not only do I get a path to follow, but a complete pit crew as well for my life journey using supernatural grace. This allows God to be with me in every place, in my body, and in my most important earthly relationships.
So God's path through the forrest is the one I chose. I pray after reflection, you may chose to investigate the strongest and safest path through the woods to heaven.
Troll Tavern, Helen, Georgia June 2016
This weekend my wife and I had our first excursion weekend in four year...with only one child in tow. One topic which we discussed in our adult discussion time was how nothing new is really new. The reality is every "new" idea is really a permutation on an old idea. Most "new" ideas are actually as old as the pyramid. The difference is the new idea is written in English and using a computer instead of papyrus paper. This photo is just an example of the what I mean.
Photographer Scott Bourne loved to preach that no one did anything new in photography (See our discussion was not even new, it was just new to us). It was just someone found they liked a style they stumbled across and started claiming it was new for marketing. Meanwhile the photographer was ignorant of the technique of style's history in the photographic art world. For instance I could say of the photo above: "I really like the deep contrasty colors I put in this photo, it will be my new style for an album!" Someone like Scott or my friend Skip Cohen would then tell me..."Dude we called that style Velvia film and left it at that."
So history is good for something no matter what you do for a living. It will help you not be a fool in front of your elders, and prevent you from being pompous before your peers and youth.
-ehw
Today our little Catholic Hybrid School will graduate our senior class. Through family friendships and school events, I watched two of them grow into peaceful and God Fearing young adults. These two also became my very first senior photo clients!
Neil is a quiet young man of deep thought (like some of my best high school friends). He will go out west to college, and will begin the study of media production from a Catholic perspective at John Paul the Great Catholic University. This is a great fit for him.
In our school I observed how he is a quiet, humble leader of the younger students. Many boys looked to him, literally looked directly at him, before doing almost anything to observe the example he would set. His example became their course of action. He respectfully fulfilled his duties to the school and family very well. His quiet leadership leaves a void for the school population, which will be noticeable until another boy fills his vacated role.
Mikayla is a lovely young woman, of sincere virtue. She lets God's grace work through her life to help others. She will enter studies at Aquinas College in Nashville this fall. She will be more than a normal student though, as she continues her discernment of vocation with the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia, a teaching order of nuns.
Again a great fit for this woman's character. In our school, and with her family, she is a guidon for a prayerful life. You can see it when she enters a room. Small children hold her hand, and admire her. Her baby sister simply adores her. She also walks with a grace beyond her years. When she enters chapel with her matillia, she peacefully focuses herself and those around her on the mass and prayer. She is no wallflower though. She demands unimproved family campsites, and can rough it with the best of them.
I hope I captured a bit of the reflected glory of God these two bring to the world. I enjoyed watching as my children gravitated to them at school and band over the last two years. I knew their example would be good ones, and not misguide my children on their own path to adulthood. I continue to learn a great deal from their parents as well, since they are good examples of parenting in a stormy world.
Mikayla and Neil: May God's grace continue to fall on you, and your souls never let your eyes wonder off the prize of heaven. You've started the race for the prize well, and may the finish be even more virtuous in God's eyes as you change the world for His Glory. Amen!
-ehw
Ash Wendseday a lifetime ago....
Today Lord you make the perfect sacrifice for me a sinner. I know you offer grace freely if I but ask. I know I must accept justice for my sins against my fellow man and your creation. I know my sacrifices here can never be as perfect as your was in antonement for my sins. So I humbly beg for your Devine Mercy, to which I am not entitled but can only receive through your devine will.
I also ask you provide this final gift to the all souls in purgatory...so they can participate in glory of the eternal mass in heaven today.
St. Faustina pray for us!
-ehw
The commisioning of priests and institution of the Eucharist...two great gifts
The beauty of Holy Thursday never escapes me Last night as even more beautiful because of the lessons taught to me by so many God seeking people over the last year. Lessons from people who past over 1800 years ago, and lessons from those living amongst us now filled my mind, heart and warmed my soul as we heard the liturgy of the word and celebrated the liturgy of the Eucharist
Father Tri, of St Brigid Catholic Church, reminded us the story of each life is what makes the church breathe the world. The story each life brings to the church helps pass on its's lessons and beauty from generation to generation These stories allow the priesthood of the family to connect with the priesthood of the Church. To make this occur we all must listen, observe and react to the wisdom of God as it works its way into our lives throug everyone around us.
The Holy Eurcharist is the foretaste of heaven, the perfect mana, needed to nourish our souls with the grace to navigate e challenges of a fallen world. When taken in concert with reconciliation it enables us to stay on the path to heaven. It keeps Christ within our very blood...commingling a bit of heaven with our life here on earth..as we go about our day. So when we say take Christ with you wherever you go, if we partake of this holy nurishment we can do exactly that. No other God before or since offered such a gift to mortals. In fact no other God offered to make lowly man part of himself, and join in perfect communion in heaven, for all eternity if we choose to do so.
Pray for our priests that they may lead all souls to heaven. Pray for our priesthood in the family, that each man will be willing to lead their family to the best of their ability to the altar of God. Pray each mother makes their home a place where the stories of old, new and the future will enable The word of God to reach fertile ears and move those souls to Christ. Pray for the religious, that by their concerted life they make offerings the rest of us cannot for the salvation of the world.
So let us begin our Triduum journey, and honor the sacrifices made to bring us all the way to heaven.
-ehw
Kalen helping bring the gifts forward with our Decon in formation Randy Ortiz
It is an interesting week in our house. Most of the normal home life continues. Dance, Robotics, and letting the kids play outside....normal life. After a few months being under so many guns it was nice to also have friends over and see a movie with them...and eleven kids had a pizza night! Then there was the opportunity to just for a few minutes enjoy John Paul getting to settle down on my chest for a nap...after a few minutes of ear piercing complaining!
Life is still crazy, but it needs living and sound of worship to abound for it to have meaning.
-ehw
The proof of the crime
As promised I continue the portrait work...here you see a portrait with a story. In this case, " How do you make sure you can beat Dad?" It is quite simple actually. Play Go Fish with a twist. Deal Dad a six, leave two sixes in the stack, and sit on the fourth one. My boys are genius!
-ehw
P.S. What I think actually happened was Son #2 dealt the card fast and flung it at his brother, Brother missed the card and did not notice it hit the seat. He moved once and it went under his thigh....and Dad did not see it until we cleaned up and he stood up! Photo taken with the Fujifilm XT-1, 23mm lens and processed in Capture One...
The roar of the lion in Chippewa Square, Savannah, Georgia
The lion is ready to finally roar! After months of pretty serious thinking I thought I would remind folks out there I am a photographer, who is serious about learning his craft!
My attempt here was to create some emotion in the viewer with this photo. Let me know if it worked!
-ehw
A day to contemplate our domestic churches
Today we're taking a family day out to grow in faith at the Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama. It is also the shrine Mother Angelia led the development of for the Sisters of Poor Saint Claire. We are blessed to have three priests from our diocease lead the retreat for the Regina Caeli Academy community.
The domestic church is a central link between God and Man for salvation. Throughout the entire Old Testament God builds his plan though families. When Adam and Eve fall, God proclaims there will always be enmity between the offspring of Eve and the devil. It prefigures the birth of Christ through a new Eve, we now know as Mary. The creation and nurturing of the covenant relationship between Abraham, Moses, and David reaches its fullfillment in Christ the son of Joseph of Nazareth.
Joseph was an heir of the of the covenant, and a decendent of King David. He lived the law handed down for thousands of years. When Joseph adopted Jesus, he did so under Jewish law. In Jewish law there was no step-father status, You were a father, or just another man to a child. Jesus became entitled to everything Joseph had through adoption, to include his birthright as an heir of the King. It also bound Jesus, our savior, to the same covenant relationship that each of his earthly forefathers lived under. Joseph taught Jesus the ways of Jewish life to make aliving and as spiritual as head of family.
Mary, was the daughter of a temple priest. Ancient legends also say she also played her part in the temple sewing the sanctuary veil. As a child, Mary possibly worked on maintaining the physical barrier between God and the people of Isreal. As a young woman, Mary broke the barrier by nurturing the Son of God from conception to death. Through Mary, Jesus Christ inherited the bloodline of a priest of Isreal.
In Jesus final moments of life on the cross he also used his role as head of family to make this circle of family ties complete. As the family high priest he offered himself as the sacrifice for our salvation. As the head of household, put his earthly affairs in order by ensuring his mother was cared for. Christ turned to the disciple he loved, and told him Mary was his mother. Jesus then told Mary the disciple was her son. Jesus adopted the disciple, and as such Mary was the disciple's mother too. In this act, Jesus passes the new covenant he set forth and the Queen Mother on to his church family for all eternity.
Through the language of family, Christ completes the circle the covenant relationship. From the family cornerstone our parishes, diocese and universal chruch obtain their form. It will be a day well spent to contemplate means to strengthen and nurture this critical institution ordained by God himself through natural law at the dawn of the world. I hope you can find time in your day to do the same!
-ehw
At ankle high on Memorial Day Weekend
The crops are in, and working towards their harvest this fall. This leads me also to wonder what are we doing with the talents God put in each of us. Are we tending to the harvest as we should? Sounds like a good thought for prayers and meditation tonight!
The Holy Mother leads us always to her son Jesus Christ
The greatest gift of motherhood, and femininity, is the the gift of building communities. The most important community women form is their family. In almost all homes, our mother teaches us the traditions we will remember into our adulthood. It is to our mother that we cry when in need, or desire to share a success.
It is no different that Catholics should turn to Mary as our Christian mother. Mary dutifully spent everyday of her life working God's will, and as a reward received God's graces. She carried Jesus to birth in her womb, guided Jesus through his youth, helped him start his ministry, and wept as his lifeless body came off the cross. It was to Mary the angels first announced Christ's resurrection, and then Mary became the mother of the early Christian community in Jerusalem. In the tradition of King Solomon, Christ's mother Mary became the Queen Mother of the church and heaven in due course of time. Everything she did continued to lead others to the teachings of her son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
In our domestic churches, mothers deserve no less respect and admiration. In my home, my wife is the heart of the family. After months of severe morning sickness, today she was able to spend great amount of time and energy with her children. They responded to her voice, her requests, and felt her love anew. It formed many wonderful new memories. I found myself reminded of why I knew on our first date almost 18 years ago she would be a wonderful mother.
So today I hope you were able to pray for and share a moment with all the mothers in your life.
-ehw
P.S. Capture One Pro 8 is a wonderful editor....and one I find better each time I learn another trick!
The hour is almost here!
Are you ready? Easter is. Day on the calendar, but the challenge to your faith in the one true God could come at any time. Are you ready to carry your cross?
I can only hope and pray I will not fail my Lord when my time comes. That cross looks heavy to me!
-ehw
This week two sisters lost their babies in child birth on the same day in childbirth just hours apart. One of the sisters, and her children, are friends of our family. The loss struck home after our two miscarriages last year, and with our anticipation of Baby Echo's arrival in August. We know of their pain, and pray for their families to weather the storm of emotion which comes with it. The event brought back common question from a few people I talked to: "How can God let such pain enter the world if he is so great?"
Maybe this can help explain a little bit...
A little over a week ago some criminals broke into my car, and emptied it out of everything they could make money from. I was mad, scared, embarrassed, the whole range of emotion. I of course went to mall security, called the cops, and asked if they had anything which could help my situation. As I walked with the security manager to my car we started talking.
As we approached my car he identified how they crooks got in from previous robberies. Then we waited for the patrol unit to arrive with a detective. As we waited I popped the trunk and in it only three items remained. One of them was a 14 year old army camouflage folding chair issued at only one place in the Army.
He looked at it and said, "Were you an OC in the desert?" Well yes I was... Soon I found out he was Sidewinder 39 Ancient, and he found out I was a Cobra 13 Ancient at the Army's National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California. He threw artillery fire, and I chased armored companies across the desert floor. We roamed the desert for two years together, possibly only meeting at a dinner or two for mere minutes...but we effected each other's work and knew the call signs.
I asked him how he liked the tour, and he responded it was a tough tour. During their tour out in the desert he had a stillborn baby in 2001. It was then my heart sank, and I knew the other side of a story.
Almost 14 years ago in a desert far far away in 2001:
When my wife had our first pregnancy her blood pressure spiked greatly. The doctor scheduled extra checks, and on her week 38 visit the blood pressure was still at the same spot...high...as the week before. The doctor then said abruptly, "One way or another this pregnancy ends today." Just the tone of her voice put chills in our hearts, and the words sunk into our heads like lead weights in water. After a quick trip home to get our hospital bag we had our baby girl in our arms just four hours later. My wife's blood pressure ended up causing no problems, and quick action by the doc kept the cord around my girl's neck from causing lasting harm.
As we held our baby a few hours later I asked the nurse if the doctor was always that curt in her bedside manner. The nurse said no. My wife however matched the profile of a women who lost her child in the clinic earlier in the year. The doctor would take no chances with this pregnancy, and wanted to protect the baby at all costs. This was why the doctor was so focused during our delivery day.
Ten days ago...
I put my hand on that Security Chief's arm, and told him his baby saved my baby's life. I know my words can do nothing to ease the pain of such a loss, but I had to say them. I was happy to then hear his other children are now strong adults. He is proud of them, as he should be. I did however remember him and his family in my prayers at some point in the days since that moment.
So here is the answer to the question about pain and suffering in this world right under the nose of an all powerful God. We live in a fallen world feeling the effects of original sin. Fallen worlds have sickness, death and people doing their selfish will rather than working for unity in God's will. Through all of this God, still gets the last laugh.
I know babies born without the breath of life go straight to the embrace of God. Then you have incidents like the losses of these three families. I know the crooks got away with my stuff, but in their evil I met a man thousands of miles and years later who's family's sacrifice saved the life of my lovely oldest daughter...my Desert Rose. What will come out of the losses of these sisters today? I do not know yet, but I know there is seed sown for great and redeeming works of grace which may not bloom for decades. When it blooms the name of two cousins will be on it, and they two will rejoice in its bloom as they dance with the Lord.
Until the day this new grace blossoms, I will enjoy the dancing of my blooming Desert Rose as I reminisce on this chance to see how God works his will through both the good and the bad.
