Testerian Catechism

Tradition attributes St. Francis of Assisi with the powerful quote: "Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary!" This statement is very Franciscan in its spirit and has certainly been lived by the members of the Franciscan orders. One Brother, Jacobo de Testera, certainly provided a very literal example of this adage. He was one of the first missionaries in Mexico, well before the languages of the indigenous peoples had been learned. Jacobo pioneered a technique that used pictorial stories to describe basic teachings and spread the Gospel. These catechisms were therefore called Testerians. One of these Testerian Catechisms, from 1524, has been added to the World Digital Library; an internet project to make significant primary materials from across the world available to as many people as possible.

The full text is available here

H/T to The Lion & The Cardinal

Frying for Friars: Coconut Fish Curry for a Friday

Goa, on the west coast of India, has a large Christian community and culture. Much of this is due to nearly 500 years of Portuguese rule but tradition holds that St. Bartholomew brought the faith to Konkan, just as his fellow Apostle, St. Thomas did to Kerala and Tamil Nadu. There are just under 400,000 Goan Catholics in the state of Goa itself and about 100,000 throughout India. There are also just over a million Goan Catholics throughout the world. There are large populations in Portugal, Canada, and in Swindon and London. Goan Catholics have a rich and vibrant culture. Kokani literature, and music have been a great influence on 'Bollywood' but most Europeans would probably come into contact with the traditional cuisine of this people. As an undergraduate in Leicester I first came into contact with Goan Catholic cuisine at the amazing Anjuna Restaurant. I quickly became a frequent visitor. Their curries contain lots of coconut and fish is a speciality, as might be expected. There is also a Portuguese influence, especially seen in Dukra Roast Maas and Sorpotel, two splendid pork dishes. The Vindaloo is also of Goan Catholic origin but to find a good one on the British high street is becoming all too much of a rarity.

It is usual in Oxford for members of the community to cook at the weekend, but nevertheless the brothers are sometimes called upon to don their aprons during the week. If I have to cook on a Friday my first port of call is a Goan-inspired fish curry. It is a quick, effort-light tasty meal that is easy to make for twenty-plus people (all the measurements given below serve 4 people).

For the Curry:

1 lb skinless pollock 2 chopped onions

3 chopped green chillies

& 1 can of chopped tomatoes 300ml coconut milk

1tsp of

turmeric, chilli powder, cumin seeds,

& a pinch of garam masala

For the Rice:

4 cardamom pods,

8 cloves,

2 cinnamon sticks,

pinch saffron threads,

2 bay leaves

(I had to use ground cinnamon

1lb Basmati Rice but sticks are better)

You will also need some fresh coriander, butter, olive oil, 1 pint of vegetable stock and salt

Cooking

1) Wash the rice in several changes of cold water,

then leave to soak for about 30 minutes

in fresh cold water. This will ensure you have nice fluffy rice

2) Chop the fish into nice large chunks

3) Have a cup of tea (or say the Divine Office) whilst waiting for the rice to fluff up. Then sieve the rice and put to the side. Then, in a pot, cook half the onions in a generous knob of butter. When the onion softens add the spices, saffron and bay leaves and cook for a couple more minutes. The spices will give a wonderful fragrant flavour to the rice. Add the rice and stir until the grains are coated in the butter before stirring in the stock and throw in some salt.

4) Bring to the boil and cover the pan with aluminium foil before putting the lid on. Turn the heat down low and leave to cook for 10 minutes before turning off the heat. Don't remove the lid; just leave the rice to continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes.

5)Whilst the rice is still cooking, heat the oil in a large pan and add the cumin seeds. When they start sizzling pop in half of the onions and fry until they start to turn golden.

6) Lower the heat and add the tomatoes and green chilli, and leave them for a couple of minutes. Then add ground turmeric and chilli powder. Stir, then season , then stir some more.

7)When the oil separates throw in the garam masala and stir in the coconut milk. Heat for a couple of minutes and then stir in the fish, making sure it is covered in the sauce. .

8) Cover the pan and cook on a low heat for 15-20 minutes. You can cook for longer but the fish will start to break up. This will not affect the taste but gives the dish a more mushy texture. Serve with the rice and any other subcontinental side dishes you desire. I am a bit partial to naan bread so got some pre-made ones to save time and effort. When ready to serve blitz the coriander and sprinkle over the curry.

I Will Sing a New Song...

During a late night essay writing session I was burning away the midnight oil with Radio 2 as a faithful companion. I was humming along to Turn! Turn! Turn by The Byrds when suddenly I was struck by the fact that the lyrics are adapted entirely from the Book of Ecclesiastes. The popular 1965 version sang by The Byrds was actually a cover. The original version was put to music by Peter Seeger in 1962. He donated 45% of the royalties to the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions but the song did not become a hit until it was covered by pre-psychedelic Byrds.

I felt pretty stupid having not acknowledged this before but it got me thinking about other pieces of popular music that consist of large parts of scripture being put to music. What struck me was the number of psalms that had been set to music. The most obvious was "Rivers of Babylon", based on Psalm 137. Of course this psalm is much prized by Rastafarians and was originally recorded by The Melodians in 1970. Whilst this version was popular amongst reggae enthusiasts, the song would not enter the hit parade until Boney M covered it eight years later. It would also be their only substantial entry into the US charts.

The final track on U2's 1983 album War was a modification of psalm 40. "40 (How Long)", was only released in Germany as a single but has proved to be one of the Dublin band's popular live set-pieces.

Of course scripture has been and still is set to contemporary music. What is unusual is that certain types of scripture seem to be able to crossover. One of the reasons the Wisdom Literature is so attractive to musicians is that it expresses human nature and psychology so honestly. The questions and emotions presented in the psalms are still posed by people today. The problem is that people do not look at the answers contained in these works. Despite the anguish and despair they always point to hope and security in the Lord.

Restored Church of Our Lady of the Rosary

The Dominican and parish communities of Rosary Priory in Grenada were filled with joy as they celebrated the opening of their restored Church. The formal re-dedication of the Church will take place later but the hope of celebrating Mass there for the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary this year was realised. Below are some photographs of the condition of the church after Hurricane Ivan had passed through Grenada in 2004 and some photographs of the restored church today. Thank you to all who have contributed to the restoration of this church. Your continuing support for the work of the English Dominicans and their Brothers in Grenada and Barbados is very much appreciated.

The main entrance today .... and how it was after the hurricane.

The main entrance seen from inside ... and how it is now seen from the new sanctuary.

The sanctuary was at the far end of the church but that far end is now a space for choirs.

And the new sanctuary is along what was a side wall in the former church.

Godzdogz Team 2010-11

The Godzdogz team for the current academic year (l. to r.) Brothers Lawrence Lew, Nicholas Crowe, Gregory Pearson, , Robert Verrill, Vivian Boland (Master of Students), Graham Hunt, Mark Davoren, Haavar Simon Nilsen (from the vicariate of Dacia [Scandinavia]) and Andrew Brookes.

We are looking forward to keeping you informed and perhaps even inspired over the course of the next few months. Please pray for us as we will pray for you.

From The Ashes...

In March 2005, St. Raphael's Cathedral in Madison, Wisconsin burnt down in an arson attack. On arrival Bishop Morlino tried to retrieve the Blessed Sacrament but it was too dangerous and he was not allowed to enter the wreckage. He found some Catholic fire-fighters and asked them to try and retrieve the Blessed Sacrament. They succeeded and this iconic image was capture by an onlooker. This scene has been reproduced in a a painting in the lobby of the Diocese's chancery.

This image reminds us of the importance of the Real Presence. It is Jesus, present in the Holy Sacrament of the Altar, that makes our church buildings holy and sacred. The Bishop was not concerned with trying to save ornaments or precious vestments but with finding the gift of unending love.

H/T to Fr. Z who included this image in a post about the Society of Jesus Christ the Priest.

Saints this Month: 15th October, Teresa of Avila

This is the statue of St Teresa outside the Convent of the Incarnation in Avila. It was in this convent that she and St John of the Cross were together for a few years, she as prioress and he as chaplain. Still today you can see relics of these two great saints in the convent museum, including some of their letters. Here too is a famous 'doodle' by St John, of the crucified Christ viewed from above. It was the inspiration for a painting by Salvador Dali called Christ of St John of the Cross which is now in Glasgow. This is one of Teresa's best-loved sayings:

Nada te turbe,
nada te espante;
todo se pasa,
Dios no se muda.
La pacientia todo lo alcanza.
Quien a Dios tiene nada la falta:
solo Dios basta.

Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things.
Whoever has God lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.