A Review of Caravaggio, A Life Sacred and Profane

Caravaggio, A Life Sacred and Profane by Andrew Graham-Dixon could be described as an authentic work of art itself.  The author’s masterful use of the language brings this troubled, brilliant artist to life in a way that is truly remarkable.  His whole mysterious life is virtually opened up to reader—from his early days as a new artist trying to earn a living in Rome to his ill-fated Maltese knighthood; the contradictions abound.  I offer the opening paragraph as an example of the author’s eloquent way with words.

 

Caravaggio’s art is made from darkness and light.  His pictures present spotlit moments of extreme and often agonized human experience.  A man is decapitated in his bedchamber, blood spurting from a deep gash in his neck.  A man is assassinated on the high altar of a church.  A woman is shot in the stomach with a bow and arrow at point-blank range.  Caravaggio’s images freeze time but also seem to hover on the brink of their own disappearance.  Faces are brightly illuminated.  Details emerge from darkness with such uncanny clarity that they might be hallucinations.  Yet always the shadows encroach, the pools of blackness that threaten to obliterate all.  Looking at his pictures is like looking at the world by flashes of lightening.  

 

In 2017, at the Gallery Borghese in Rome, I had the opportunity to view a magnificent painting by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610): Madonna Dei Palafrenieri. Caravaggio’s masterpiece is captivating in its beauty and expressive detail. The painting’s lifelike faces of Christ, Mary, and Saint Anne as well as its vibrant colors held my attention for some moments before I noticed something else.  Looking closer, I observed that Mary’s bare foot was squarely atop a serpent’s head and the young Christ’s foot was atop hers.  This detail might go unnoticed by some visitors, but the theological implications behind this symbolism is not only rich and profound, it also transforms the beautiful image into something much more complex and nuanced.  Andrew Graham-Dixon’s book does a particularly outstanding time describing this painting and its journey from Saint Peter’s Basilica (a short stay of about a week) to the Borghese family.  Like so many other pieces of his art, truly born of sweat, tears, and blood, the pages tell the fascinating backstories of each work.  

 

The Madonna of the Palafrenieri, sometimes known as the The Madonna of the Serpent, is an unsettling picture.  Monumental in scale , almost ten feet tall and most than six across, it shows three figures in a tall room, absorbed in a confrontation with pure evil.  The Virgin and the infant Christ together crush the head of a serpent beneath their feet.  As the foul creature writhes in its death agonies, St. Anne frail and bent by age, looks on in solemn contemplation.  By God’s grace, the devil is defeated.

 

At the same time that I was finishing this book, I was also listening to a Sacred Music course on the Great Courses platform, taught by Dr. Charles Edward McGuire, that touched on some of the same Roman families as mentioned in the in the book.  This serves as a good reminder that there is no such thing as wasted knowledge.  Even the smallest detail can add to greater understanding of the subject being studied, lending clearer context to the matter at hand.  The interconnected nature of the great families of the past—such as the Borghese family--have a way of coming up again and again in the study of art and music.  We owe a debt of gratitude indeed to the great patrons of the arts for commissioning and helping to safeguard the classic works of art of Caravaggio and so many others.

 

 Reading this powerful book on Caravaggio, it feels as if I’m drawn again into those ancient Roman churches and museums to gaze at his awe-inspiring paintings.  I can’t wait to see them again in a year’s time—Lord willing.

Resources for the Reader:

Gallery Borghese

Church of San Luigi De Francesi

The Vatican Museum

The Caravaggio Foundation

Caravaggio on Wikipedia

Caravaggio in The Britannica

Andrew Graham-Dixon

An Artist Called Caravaggio

Rome and London (See 22nd minute.)

 

 

In Memory of My Nephew, Jonah Dennis

Obituary

Jonah Mark Dennis, age 16, died Thursday, January 21, 2021.  He was born in Santa Cruz, California on March 12, 2004 to Richard Dennis and Felicia Wilson Lee, joining two older siblings, Lydia and Josiah.  Following military orders, the family lived in San Angelo, TX, where sister Lily was added to the growing family, before transferring to Hawaii for several years.  After his parents divorced, Jonah and his siblings moved with their father to Rotan, Texas and his family grew again when they moved to Dallas, TX to join forces with his step mother, Shannon Collier Dennis and her two children, Emma and John.  Jonah’s brother, Bede, and sister, Mary, were born in Dallas.  While Richard was in seminary, the family lived with Shannon’s parents, John and Shirley Collier in Plano, TX, where the youngest, Ruby Rose joined Jonah’s family, rounding out the dynamic duo, the fantastic four, and the terrific three of the blended siblings into a full, busy, and loving household.  Jonah’s family subsequently moved to Corpus Christi, TX, Aransas Pass, TX, and Spring Branch, TX.  Beginning in 2018, Jonah and his biological siblings lived with their mother, Felicia, in Kirtland, New Mexico.

 

Jonah’s kindness, gentleness, sensitivity, and playful humor endeared him to all he met.  He was the family peacemaker and the family prankster. He would readily give up any possession to stop others from fighting, but he could stubbornly argue until the cows come home.  Jonah gave his best effort to all he did.  He was an excellent, well-rounded student and loved learning.  He loved legos as a boy and building model rockets with his grandfather; playing the cello and drums; and eating cereal Saturday mornings in a blanket on the couch.  Jonah was the chess champion of his elementary school.  He wrestled; played soccer and golf; and enjoyed swimming and fishing with his family.  Jonah wanted to become a priest, but also dreamed of becoming a pilot at the Air Force Academy.  Above all, Jonah loved his family, which was tragically fragmented in divorce.  Jonah was a light in this world and his passing left a hole that will only be filled in heaven.

 

Preceding Jonah in death are his grandfather, Mike Dennis, Sr., his grandmother, Shirley Collier, and still born siblings, Christopher Richard, Maple Margaret, and Roan Titus.

Surviving Jonah are his parents, CPT Richard and Shannon Dennis, Aaron and Felicia (Wilson) Lee; grandparents, Lenice Dennis, Dr. Jim and Deborah Wilson, John and Karen Collier, and Keith and Betsy Lee; siblings, Lydia, Josiah, Lily, Bede, Mary, and Ruby Dennis, John and Emmaline Dyer, Faith, Mari, Gabby, and Charles Lee; aunts and uncles, Joy Dennis, David Dennis, Dr. Allen and Amanda Dennis, Chris and Heather Carrol, Karl and Kimberly Erickson, and many cousins and friends will mourn his passing.

A funeral service will be held in Kirtland, New Mexico at 10:00am Thursday, January 28, 2021. Burial will be at Belvieu Cemetery in Rotan, Texas.  Visitation will be from 9:30am – 10:30am at Weathersbee-Ray Funeral Home Chapel in Rotan on Saturday, January 30, 2021 with the graveside service to follow at 11:00am with Dr. Fr. Philip LeMasters officiating under the direction of Weathersbee-Ray Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Children’s Home of Lubbock in Jonah’s memory as Jonah would have wanted to help children of broken families.

 

www.childshome.org

P.O. Box 2824

Lubbock, TX 79408

 

To send sympathy gifts to the family or plant a tree in memory of Jonah Mark Dennis, please visit our tribute store.

Taking a Break from the Writing and Podcast

Besides a love of the written word, one of the central reasons I have continued investing in the writing and podcast efforts over the years was to create a significant wealth of communication-related experience with which to leverage a career switch from tax compliance to state or federal government communications.  When I graduated in 2018 from Marylhurst University with a BA in English Literature and New Media, I thought things would change for the better.  While they have most definitely done so, it wasn't quite in the way I expected.  For one thing, I've learned that communications is not a field easily entered by the older worker; fresh out of school is the way to embark on that career path.  The departments are generally seeking young people for these positions.

I expected when I graduated from college that I'd be a much better writer.  While I may be a stronger writer today, I have also found the desire to write is rarely as strong as it once was.  Perhaps it was the act of writing and re-writing my university thesis that burned me out for a while on the act of writing.  The whole process seemed less artistic or creative than simply a sort of "writing by the numbers" approach to essay structure.  That, combined perhaps with lackluster sales of my books, has led me to where I am today--subtly redirecting my time and energies into more fruitful areas.

Anyway, we all have plenty on our plates these days, and I frankly think my time is better placed in serving God and enjoying my family than investing hours in creating fresh content for the web or books.  I have offered my services to one company, and I remain available as needed to a local Catholic publication too.  I am still interested in being involved in photography and voice work projects, but I suspect they're going to take more of a backseat to simply living than they have in the past.  When I retire in less than a decade, I hope to hit the writing harder than ever; we will see.

I will continue to add to the blog as time allows.

SEIU 503 Troubles Podcast

As discussed in several previous posts, I have had some issues over the years with SEIU 503.  Past posts have documented my frustrations with their positions, but they crossed a new line with their online planning to further disrupt Portland by getting involved in the BLM riots.  In posting their plans to get between protesters and police...it was the last straw for me.  Unfortunately, it's not an easy process to exit the union once you're a member.  This podcast talks about the associated challenges, and it also offers the perspective of a representative from Freedom Foundation named Rebekah Milliard.  This is a critically important First Amendment issue.

You can access this latest podcast HERE. 

Sing a New Church Karaoke Night! (Humorous Aside)

In honor of The Babylon Bee's  regular body slamming of traditional news outlets through the art of satire, I give you my little contribution to this important literary...genre.  Hope you enjoy!  (For my real take on this hymn, go to page 53 or here too.)


The 5th annual “Sing a New Church” Karaoke Festival is scheduled to start directly after the 11am Mass on Sunday, August 23rd in Minot’s Saint Cecilia Catholic Church. The excitement is quickly building for this fun-filled event for the entire family. As done in past years, winners will have an opportunity to win valuable prizes from two of the following five categories: Social Justice, Multiculturalism, Gender Discovery, Diving for Diversity, and (the wildcard) Ecumenical Experiences!

Parish staff encourage attendees to recall that the event follows Mass. This means, for instance, that the Boykin and Smith families would want to actually stay in the nave AFTER the recessional hymn begins (and finishes too). Please contact staff with questions.

The first-place winner will progress to the second round with an opportunity to capture the National Karaoke Pennant! Round 2’s music has just been announced as the angelic and inspiring “Earth and All Stars.”  Of course, we're all stars when we sing together!!

Don’t be left out in the cold, join us in Minot on Sunday! This is a great time to bring friends along, so that they can learn more about important things-- such social justice and ecumenical diversity.

Let’s hit last year’s winners where it hurts the most and take the much-prized Karaoke Pennant of the Greater Minot Diocese (conveniently shortened to the KPGMD).

PS.  In this strange time of long lines for sanitizer and social distancing from the Boykin family, let's remember to get things right on Sunday.  Washing your hands at least once on August 23rd would be a super fabulous start!

An Open Letter to SEIU Re: BLM

Writing a letter the day following hand surgery ranks right up there with having a root canal, but some things need to be said--sooner rather than later.

Before getting to the meat of this letter, I'd like to preface it by saying that some years back SEIU did provide some (uncoordinated and clumsy) assistance regarding some office issues.  This led to my return to the union under the rationale that they were a necessary evil.  (You can read a little about my union ambivalence at the following links: BEFORE, AFTER and a little concerning the EVENTS themselves.)  I should further disclose that I have even served briefly as a union steward--working to help ensure state employees were treated (and represented) with fairness rather than a disdainful bias.  Let's face it, state supervisors and Human Resource departments have a great deal of power, and sometimes the worker needs someone in their corner.  With SEIU, however, it's their actions outside the office that truly make it more difficult with each passing day to support them--particularly regarding BLM.

The other part of my background is that I almost pursued a police career before I changed professional directions in my late 20's towards state government.  Over the preceding years, I attended countless training sessions and ridden-beside police officers as a volunteer observer from Yakima to Seattle.  I understand police officers (usually), and I've seen many really good ones along with a few that probably shouldn't have been wearing that badge.  

While, of course, "all lives matter, black lives now," the problem with BLM as an organization has a lot to do with the people it draws and its stated beliefs.  This is an organization that supports the fairy tale of subjective vs objective sexual identities, opposes the nuclear family, and stands in stark opposition to law and order--e.g. defunding of police.  Whatever nonsense its supporters believe at any given moment, they demand those in positions of power--from mayors to police chiefs--show BLM unearned respect and honor, kowtowing to the organization by taking a knee, for instance.  This isn't an organization aimed at racial justice, but an enterprise aimed at reweaving the social fabric in its own image and taking power away from the people.

When SEIU members posted on social media today about forming a barrier between rioters and city police and federal law enforcement, I voiced my opinion that this was foolish.  My voice was met, of course, with profane responses from SEIU members who must believe that their role as union members is to help BLM damage our cities and injure or kill our police officers.  I thought the days of stereotypical union thugs were long gone?  This is nothing short of a power grab, and BLM should be recognized as something akin to a fascist organization, since it relies upon force and intimidation to silence those who oppose its siren call for "justice."  

I've witnessed injustice, and when I do I take constructive action.  This is something we can all do.  Tearing down buildings and destroying the property of others, however, is not how we achieve justice...but anarchy.  I also wholeheartedly support our men in women who form that critical blue line between order and chaos.  

For these reasons, then, I've decided to opt out as a union member,  diverting my precious resources away from an organization that no longer represents my values.

A Conversation with William Snyder

Today's INTERVIEW on Sounds and Words features William Snyder, the producer of EWTN Radio's Bear Woznick Adventure as well as the founder of Patchwork Heart Ministry, a non-profit 501(c)(3) Catholic youth and young adult ministry. He shares a faith journey we can all learn from as we strive to live more for Christ each day. While in many ways his own life is an account of offering up suffering, he shares his personal story to better connect and engage with the suffering world around us for Christ and His Church. The interview concludes with a short discussion of this strange COVID-19 time in our history, and its implications for our spiritual lives and journey home.