Category Archives: Discursive Detours

A catch-all category

Swiss Guard: Their Finest Hour, So Far

Whether they’re called the Swiss Guard, Papal Swiss Guard, or Pontificia Cohors Helvetica, those 135 men wear what may be today’s most colorful full dress uniforms. Although they look like something straight out of the Renaissance, the uniform’s not much … Continue reading

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“Christmas Sermon for Pagans”: Viewpoints, Nature; and Hope

One, maybe two, articles by C. S. Lewis reappeared about a half-dozen years back. Not that they’d been invisible. Collectors had the articles in their copies of The Strand Magazine, but “A Christmas Sermon for Pagans” and “Cricketer’s Progress” hadn’t … Continue reading

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The Pope, Same-Sex Couples, an Informative Link: and Headlines

Headlines are supposed to get attention. That’s what these did: I’m not sure about “The ‘spirit’ of ‘Fiducia supllicans’” in The Pillar. Maybe it’s attention-grabbing for the publication’s demographic. Anyway, what Pope Francis said — what he actually said, not … Continue reading

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Supernova Remnant Cassiopeia A: Cool Images of Hot Gas

Webb’s high-resolution cameras are showing details that scientists have never seen before. That’s what I started talking about this week.

But the Cassiopeia A supernova’s underwhelming appearance, or maybe non-appearance, reminded me of famines, coffeehouses, and other malign menaces. Continue reading

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Advent Sunday: Kyrie, Then Death

Several dozen students in the Islamic City of Marawi were allowed to start their First Sunday of Advent Mass in a university gymnasium. Then, when they got to the Lord, have mercy part, a bomb went off. Continue reading

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