This morning WLBOTT held a private viewing of the 1972 Franco Zeffirelli movie Brother Son, Sister Moon. It is a profoundly beautiful movie, and it left it’s emotional impact on us. But first, we must ask:Q: How cool is the Austin Public Library?A: Very cool. Historical Accuracy We asked Elder G to sync up scenes […]
Category: Brotherhood/Sisterhood
“LAUDATO SI’, mi’ Signore” – “Praise be to you, my Lord”. In the words of this beautiful canticle, Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us. “Praise be to you, my Lord, […]
[ed. note: the more we look into Laudato si’, the more impressed we are. We look forward to detailing many aspects of this revolutionary document. But lately, IRL has been oppressive, a dark cloud in search of a release. So today we’re going to have some fun, with respect, with the encyclical] We are continuing […]
In the spring of 2015, Pope Francis released a profound encyclical (letter) to the world called “Laudato Si’” (“Praise be to you”). The letter lays the moral foundation for our collective obligation and responsibility to protect Mother Earth. In Pope Francis’ case, he uses the teachings of the Catholic Church to build the foundation of […]
The story of Sisters Bernadette, Regina, and Rita Yesterday morning The Guardian brought us a wonderful story – some feisty nuns who only want to continue living the life they’ve spent their entire lives cultivating. But there’s a lot more to the story (see the Guardian’s full article) – the Church hierarchy cut off their […]
Across cultures, harbors have always been liminal spaces – between safety and peril, home and the vast unknown. Many traditions placed protective figures at the edge of the water, blessing or watching over departing sailors. Mazu From Elder G: Mazu is often depicted in art and statues wearing red robes, which legend says she wore […]
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Our Lady of the Harbor
In Leonard Cohen’s song Suzanne, there is this beautiful image: And the sun pours down like honey on Our Lady of The Harbor- Suzanne by Leonard Cohen Leonard Cohen is almost certainly referring to the statue of The Virgin Mary that sits atop the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel. It is known as the Lady of the Harbor, […]
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The Seventh Day of Ielool
The Coming of the ShipAnd in the twelfth year, on the seventh day of Ielool, the month of reaping, he climbed the hill without the city walls and looked seaward; and he beheld his ship coming with the mist.Then the gates of his heart were flung open, and his joy flew far over the sea. […]
We find it fascinating how many of the WLBOTT communal ideals intersect with The Shakers. Radical equality between the genders and the races. Communal living. Compassion and a joy for life. This morning the editorial staff was pleasantly surprised to find a review of a new movie in The Guardian. The movie, The Testament of […]
The Amicable Split: A Tale of Simplicity & Sequins In the early days of WLBOTT, all Elders met under the same twine-strung roof. But as the flock grew, so too did its eccentricities. Among the Elders were two unusually persuasive voices: For years, Prudence and Gloria debated in good humor, often during long WLBOTT council […]