On a Few Different Things at Once

Currently Watching Finding Neverland (Widescreen Edition) By Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Julie Christie see related

Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine.
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine
Et lux perpetua luceat, Deus.
De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine,
Domine, exaudi vocem meam.
Lux aeterna luceat eis, Deus.
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine.
Et lux perpetua luceat Deus.
Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto
Sicut erat in principio et nunc et semper
Et in saecula saecularum,
Amen.

Oddly enough, that Latin - which I have found comes from an oratio delivered at a traditional Funeral Mass and inspired Verdi's War Requiem - first came to my attention through the soundtrack to the movie Waking Ned Devine, in which it can be heard in the background of the funeral scene. Thinking it particularly appropriate, I've listened to it several times today.

May eternal light shine upon him, Lord.
Grant him eternal rest, Lord
And let the everlasting light shine, God.
From the depths I have cried to you, Lord,
Listen to my voice.
May eternal light shine upon him, God.
Grant him eternal rest, Lord,
And let the everlasting light shine.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
Who was with you in the beginning, and now, and always,
World without end,
Amen.

(Translation mine, using the Anglican "World Without End" for "In Saecula Saecularum")

For those of you who haven't been watching the news, Pope John Paul II died this afternoon in Vatican City. I found myself oddly glued to the news the entire time - in fact, last night, I didn't go to bed until the Vatican press office reopened for morning.

I myself am not Catholic - one of the primary objections to Catholicism being the idea of the supremacy of the Pope - but I think that, in his office as pontiff, God was able to use John Paul II in great ways. For his efforts to work with all believers and his strong stance for objective morality, as well as his great efforts to reach out all over the world, he will always have my respect. Let us hope that many will follow his example, particularly his successor; and, therefore, let's be in prayer for the College of Cardinals.

In Pace Requierat

To me, also, this is interesting because we now find ourselves standing on a historical paradigm shift. John Paul II has been presiding in office since before I was born - the third-longest in history, beind Pius IX and St. Peter himself - and for the next three weeks or so, the world is, for lack of a better word, pope-less for the first time in several very influential decades. How many other world figures still in power today were in power 23 - almost 24 - years ago? This is a major event, enough to keep the interest of a history buff like glue, as well as being all the more reason to pray for the College of Cardinals as they elect a new pontiff.

On a lighter note...

There is something else that has come out of my being glued to the television, as well. In flipping back and forth between Fox News and CNN, I may have come closer to deciding "what I want to be when I grow up." For years now, I've just wanted to be a writer; no particular career ambitions beyond newswriting. Having watched hours and hours of journalists telling of the times they met with His Holiness or traveled around following his plane or saw this or that effect he had on society, I realized how amazing it would be to be over there, seeing that - not necessarily related to the papacy, of course, but as for career aspirations, at least for now, I'm shooting for "European correspondent" for some major U.S. print medium.

Can you imagine living in a great cultural center, surrounded by centuries of history, paid to do what you love by telling what goes on there, and then, when something major happens, being taken across Europe to the story itself?

Speaking of writers, I watched one of the greatest movies I've ever seen the other day, one about an author who, according to this online encyclopedia, began his career as a journalist.

When Mom and Mimi told me I should have seen it with them on Thanksgiving, they were right. They were incredibly right.

"Finding Neverland" is, as I said, one of the greatest movies I've ever seen. For one thing, with the turn-of-the-last-century sets and costumes, the British landscape, and that big cute dog, it is simply beautiful to watch. Beyond that, the story is great. I really admire the character of J.M. Barrie as a writer here, as well... while I know they took some liberties with the story (in history, for example, there was a fifth Llewelyn-Davies boy, and Barrie first met them while their father was still alive), it is easily proven that they remained faithful to Peter Pan, and I admire the fact that he wrote that story not specifically for the money, or to make a point, but simply for the sake of the story.

That's the great thing about the "Neverland" of the movie; it exists just so the writer can tell the story. I love the scene with Dustin Hoffman as they take down the set of the first play in the movie, in which they discuss how it is bad that the critics have changed the nature of art; "they made it important."

On a still lighter note...

Through one of my friend's Xangas (alas, I forget which friend now), I found a link to a quiz site actually interesting enough to share, both on "Relationship types" and on the sense of humor.

The sense of humor...

You are a SGO--Sunny Gross Offbeat. This makes you a Wild One.

You have a laid-back approach to life, and your humor reflects that. What you think is funny is so broad and appealing that you can chuckle at almost anything. You're never offensive -- until you want to be.

It takes someone a while to get to know you and appreciate your point-of-view, but when you make friends they tend to be for life. You're the type of person who doesn't lose touch with friends after you get married. Rare. Rarely rare rare.

Of the 17524 people who have taken this quiz, 6% are this type.

Your Active humor score of 7/10 means you are ju-u-ust right. You're probably pretty popular -- a walking social lubricant. You know how to take someone from on edge to relaxed, and from relaxed to larfing. You're kind of like an episode of Arrested Development. That show is good. Anyway. Rave on, funny one.



Hmmmm. I guess that's pretty accurate. As for relationships...

You are a RSIG--Reserved Sentimental Intellectual Giver. This makes you a People-Pleaser.

Oh, RSIG! You are the most complicated and dynamic of any type. You are brilliant, tender, romantic and a joy to be with. You're the favorite of many of your friends. It's just not a party until you get there. You are bursting with feeling and sentiment and insight but you very rarely express it -- it's not how you want to present yourself to the world. Although you are always studying your non-romantic relationships -- you turn a blind eye to romantic relationships.

You're highly adaptable, and you conform to your circumstances. You would probably be content with almost anyone, and almost anyone would be blissfully happy to have you. But just because you're content doesn't mean you're happy. Don't settle!

You cry at movies. A lot.

Of the 215535 people who have taken this quiz, 5.6 % are this type.



I wouldn't say I cry at movies a lot. I'm still under the dictates of a decade-old bet saying that if I ever cry at a movie, I owe my sister $100.

No wonder you wanted me to see "Finding Neverland," Mimi. I feel like I should send you a few bucks just because I came so close.

After walking to Best Buy this afternoon, I now own the widescreen edition.

Oh, yes, I promised SarahMcM that I would post this link to her blog to help support DrC in her hopes to participate in the 3-Day walk for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

And please be praying for one of my friends... I don't know exactly what's going on with him - and what I have heard, I probably shouldn't share - but it seems he could very much use some prayer right now. Thanks.